INNOVATION September-October 2015

Multiple sprinklers watering a lush green golf course

The WSA establishes equity between hydraulically connected stream water and groundwater users and both types of water users will be subject to restrictions in times of scarcity. Changes to the Ground Water Protection Regulation (GWPR) The Ground Water Protection Regulation , which sets out standards to safeguard groundwater and ensures activities related to wells and groundwater are undertaken in an environmentally safe manner, is also being updated under the WSA. The revised regulation will incorporate most existing groundwater-protection policies, as well as introduce new policies. The new policies are designed: • To improve well-construction and maintenance standards; • To recognize the types of professionals certified to drill wells and install well pumps in BC; • To bring flowing artesian wells under regulatory control, and; • To require the submission of well records for some types of wells. The updated legislation will also regulate recharge wells, which have become increasingly popular in many munici- palities as a means of dealing with urban run-off, but pose a risk of contaminating underlying aquifers.

Next Steps Development of regulations and policy is underway to enable the WSA to be brought into force next year. However, additional regulation and policy development will be required to fully implement all provisions enabled under the new legislation. Future work includes regulations that address, for example, licensing domestic wells in specific geographic areas, and policies that enable overdrawn aquifers to be closed. Developing these policies will take time. For now, however, transitioning the approximately 20,000 existing, non-domestic groundwater users into the licensing system remains the priority. The BC Ministry of Environment is currently hiring and training new staff to deal with the expected workload. The existing e-licensing system is undergoing enhancements to incorporate groundwater licensing. In addition, the provincial water well data base (WELLS) and the provincial aquifer spatial layers are being enhanced to make them more relevant for water management decision making. The government also recognizes that better understanding of the province’s aquifers is required to manage available water resources effectively and sustainably. It has initiated investigations to map and study aquifers across the province, particularly in areas of heavy water use and known water shortages. The investigations

currently underway include estimating aquifer water budgets, and determining groundwater–surface water interactions, hydraulic connectivity, and the effects of groundwater withdrawals on environmental flow needs. Conclusion Water is our most precious resource. The WSA will strengthen provincial water management in the face of growing demands for water in a changing climate. The new legislation will help to ensure sustainable management of fresh, clean surface and groundwater in BC—to meet our needs today and through generations to come. More information on the Water Sustainability Act and its implementation is available at: engage.gov.bc.ca/ watersustainabilityact/. v

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DURING PUMPING

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PUMPING

BEDROCK SPRING

F L O W F R O M S P R I N G

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STREAM

WATER BEARING FRACTURES

FRACTURED BEDROCK AQUIFER

SAND + GRAVEL AQUIFER

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