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We are now approaching the 10th anniversary of the Walkerton crisis, when contaminated water caused the deaths of seven Ontarians and poisoned thousands more. Many Walkerton residents continue to live with illnesses caused by this tragedy. It is a poignant reminder of the water challenges we continue to face at home and abroad.
Other cities are not immune from these challenges. Ottawa’s antiquated water and sewer systems have allowed four million litres of raw sewage to be released into the Ottawa River every year causing beach closings and putting the health of the river and residents at risk. Water-related costs are rising too: the city has committed $140 million over five years to improving infrastructure, and council raised water rates by 10 per cent this year.
With water policy leaping into public prominence, it is no surprise that the provincial government declared in the speech from the throne this month that it intends to “make our province the clean water capital of North America.” Such an initiative would not only deliver substantial benefits for the well-being of Ontarians and our rivers and lakes, it would also position Ontario as the water industry hub of North America. By one estimate, the revenues of the world’s water-related businesses are projected to rise from $522 billion U.S. to nearly $1 trillion U.S. in 10 years.
These solutions will not be the mega projects of the past — huge underground pipelines and energy-sucking treatment plants. The water infrastructure of the future will be green infrastructure — smart, closed-loop systems that increase water efficiencies and decentralized treatment techniques that ease pressure on aging sewers and stormwater systems; think devices that collect sink water to reuse for flushing toilets, technology that traps and reuses condensation from air conditioning systems, and cisterns that collect and treat rainwater for clothes and dish washers.
Ontario is well placed to take advantage of this opportunity since it is a microcosm of the global water challenges facing both developed and developing worlds.
The province is home to highly developed urban centres suffering from outdated infrastructure and leaky pipes. Ottawa is not the only city suffering from crumbling water infrastructure. Estimates suggest the whole province now carries a $30-billion water infrastructure deficit — the amount required to repair and upgrade existing distribution and treatment systems. New approaches to water conservation could save these cities millions, and would be one of the most cost-effective ways for the province to save energy — at least 30 per cent of a municipality’s electricity bill comes from the pumping, piping and treatment of water.
At the same time, Ontario is also home to remote northern and First Nation communities, some of which experience “third-world” water conditions. Solutions to water problems in these communities will be very different to those in large urban centres and will require low-cost, small-scale systems, as well as training and education programs to ensure local residents have the capacity to operate them.
When combined with its location at the heart of the Great Lakes — the largest fresh water system in the world — and government’s respect for water as a public good, these disparate worlds make Ontario a perfect incubator for creative solutions to the world’s water challenges.
The McGuinty government’s proposed Water Opportunities Act needs to capitalize on our ingenuity and resourcefulness as a province with a five-point action plan designed to ignite a new culture of water conservation and innovation in Ontario.
It should begin with transforming the market for water-related products and services in Ontario by setting water efficiency standards for new buildings and appliances. The Tribute Project in Durham Region demonstrated that high-efficiency homes with water-saving toilets, showerheads and washing machines used 150 litres of water per day, half the national average. Experts predict this number could be much lower with the addition of other innovative water efficiency technologies.
The act should require that industries and cities have water-efficiency plans before receiving new permits or infrastructure grants from the province. Cities shouldn’t receive taxpayer money for building new pipes and sewers if they are not using existing water infrastructure efficiently. Instead, they should be encouraged to conserve the water supplies they are already using.
The province should create a commercialization program that promotes adoption of water-efficient practices and green technologies. This program should provide support for ground-breaking water research and demonstration projects, and provide incentives for those willing to push the boundaries of water conservation.
A special program should also be implemented for designing small systems to address the pressing and unique water challenges facing Ontario’s remote and First Nations communities. These programs should then be marketed globally to attract new businesses and investment in the province’s water sector.
Lastly, a province-wide education campaign should be implemented so that all Ontarians can participate in the actions needed to make Ontario a legitimate leader in water stewardship.
It will take a long time for Ontarians to forget the tragedy at Walkerton but with this new water agenda the province could move to the vanguard of global efforts to solve the world’s water crisis.
Thomas S. Axworthy is president of the Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation.