Fish out of Water

Fish out of Water

Fresh Water & Sustainability

•Is water a human right?•Water scarcity

•Water ownership•Water sources

•Water in Manitoba

Is water a human right?

Canada refused to recognize the right to water, until 2 months ago.

Facts on Global WaterNearly 1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water Contamination of water for domestic use is closely linked to lack of adequate

sanitationAlmost one fifth of the world's population (about 1.2 billion people)

live in areas where the water is physically scarce. One quarter of the global population also live in developing countries that face water shortages due to a lack of infrastructure to fetch water from rivers and aquifers. (http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/water/water_facts/en/index2.html)

Health Concerns

Diarrhoea is the leading cause of illness and death, and 88 per cent of diarrhoeal deaths are due to a lack of access to sanitation

Health Concerns

1 in 5 children who die before age 5 worldwide, die of a water related disease

Water related illness kills more people each year than wars and conflict

Nearly 80% of illness in developing countries is linked to poor water and sanitation conditions.

Social Considerations

At schools with safe, private sanitation, girls are more likely to stay in school

Social Considerations

Responsibility for collecting water, falls mostly to women and children

Social Considerations

Women are primarily responsible for caring for people with water-related diseases, leaving them at greater risk.

Economics of Water

In Africa, every dollar invested in water and sanitation results in an economic return of $9

1% increase in female secondary schooling results in 0.3% increase in economic growth

Global Response

In 2010 the UN General Assembly voted in favour of the human right to water and sanitation

Global Response

In 2012, the UN met its Millennium Development Goals call for halving the number of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation.

Water SourcesWater covers nearly three-quarters of the earth's surface. There is also water in the atmosphere and underground. It is mainly in oceans but is also found as rivers, lakes, snow and glaciers. In fact, over 99% of all fresh water is found in glaciers, icefields, or underground.

Water Sources

•Surface water: Water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, or wetlands,

Water Sources

The Great Lakes are a vast shared resource containing a significant portion of the world's freshwater. The Great Lakes provide the foundation for billions of dollars in economic activity, and they are a direct source of drinking water for millions of Canadians.

Water Sources

•Groundwater: water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock; and

•Atmospheric water: water present in the atmosphere either as a solid (snow, hail), liquid (rain) or gas (fog, mist).

Usage of water

Water works for us in many ways, making our lives easier and more enjoyable. But we must take great care not to overuse and abuse this precious resource.

Water is a basic necessity of life, not only for people but for every type of plant and animal as well. Water accounts for about 65% of our body weight. If we lost as little as 12% of it, we would soon die.

Usage of Water Water played -- and continues to play -- a

special role in the growth of our nation. The fur trade, which stimulated the exploration of Canada's vast interior, was totally dependent on water for transportation. Water powered the grist mills and sawmills along small and large rivers in the Maritimes and Upper Canada, making possible the production and export of grain and lumber, two early economic staples. As Canadian industry diversified, water was put to new uses: as a coolant, a solvent, a dispersant, and a source of hydroelectric energy.

Types of Water Use The most obvious and immediate uses occur in its

natural setting. They are called instream uses. Fish live in it, as do some birds and animals, at least part of the time. Hydroelectric power generation, shipping, and water-based recreation are other examples of human instream uses.

Types of Water use

The greatest number and variety of water uses occur on the land. These are called withdrawal uses. This term is appropriate because the water is withdrawn from its source (a river, lake or groundwater supply), piped or channelled to many different locations and users, and then is collected again for return to a lake, river or into the ground. Household and industrial uses, thermal and nuclear power generation, irrigation and livestock watering all fall into this category.

Water Use in the Future

As time goes on, more and more water users will compete for what remains the same finite supply. This implies increases in water efficiency and conservation and doing even more to restore its quality after use.

We must learn to use only what we need, and need what we use. In the words of one conservation slogan: "Let's keep it on tap for the future."

Who Owns Canada's water?

Under the Constitution Act (1867), the provinces are "owners" of the water resources and have wide responsibilities in their day-to-day management. The federal government has certain specific responsibilities relating to water, such as fisheries and navigation, as well as exercising certain overall responsibilities such as the conduct of external affairs.

Who Owns Canada's water?

• Recognizing the need for better environmental management, the federal government passed the Canada Water Act in 1970 and created the Department of the Environment in 1971, entrusting the Inland Waters Directorate with providing national leadership for freshwater management.

The Federal Water Policy, the first of its kind in Canada, the policy was formulated after several years of intensive consultation, both within and outside the government. It addresses the management of water resources, balancing water uses with the requirements of the many interrelationships within the ecosystem.

Water is a remarkable substance. Although a simple compound, it shrouds two-thirds of the planet, caps the poles and pervades the air we breathe. It is the genesis of and the continuing source of life. Without water, humankind – indeed, all forms of life on Earth – would perish.

The overall objective of the federal water policy is to encourage the use of freshwater in an efficient and equitable manner consistent with the social, economic and environmental needs of present and future generations.

• We must now start viewing water both as a key to environmental health and as a commodity that has real value, and begin to manage it accordingly.

• The key innovation is to recognize the value of the resource – both by promoting the realistic pricing of water used, and by respecting the value of recreational water uses and other similar uses where direct charges are not applicable.

• The policy stresses that government action is not enough. Canadians at large must become aware of the true value of water in their daily lives and use it wisely. We cannot afford to continue undervaluing and therefore wasting our water resources.

• The management of potable drinking water and wastewater on First Nation reserves is a shared responsibility between First Nations and the federal government. Programs and services for providing clean, safe and secure water on reserves are provided through First Nation band councils, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and Health Canada (HC), including an advisory role to INAC by Environment Canada (EC). Details on the various roles and responsibilities can be found on INAC's Website.

• Infrastructure Canada programs also provide funding for water infrastructure in First Nations communities.

• For more details on Health Canada's activities under the First Nations Water Management Strategy visit the "First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal Health" page on their Website.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/water/Selling Canada’s Water

Where does our water come from?

How much water do we use?

While many wish for 20 litresper day…

Canadians use:

• In their homes alone, over 300 litres of water per person per day. Canada’s water consumption per capita was over nine times greater than that of the U.K.

• Canada and the USA rank last in water use.

Where do we use it?

And Urinals!!!

Improving our use of H2O in Winnipeg

Think about how much water you use each day.

• How could you reduce the amount of treated water you use?

• How as educators can we influence water stewardship in our schools?

Fish out of water thank you for your attention.