Neverending Unelected Committees

...that impact Greater Vernon's water customers.

So here's another one:  The Canadian Water Resources Association, comprising "a national organization of individuals and organizations from the public, private and academic sectors that are committed to raising awareness of the value of water, and to promoting responsible and effective water resource management in Canada."

"...a moratorium on new water licenses."

That's fine, but:  " The majority of events are held in the Lower Mainland, where most of our members are based, but we also host events in smaller venues as well as online."

"30 different pharmaceuticals have been identified

 in Canadian drinking water..."  

There was a recent workshop, the details of which are not available on their website. "...promote awareness of Canadian and international water resource management through education and interdisciplinary collaboration."

Perhaps the next paragraph is proof of their "main goal". 

"The B.C. branch of the CWRA has recently called for a moratorium on new water licenses in the Okanagan until its recommendations are acted upon.

The work of the Okanagan Basin Water Board is closely linked to an initiative of the Okanagan Partnership (OP).  This is a coalition of business, education and governments promoting sustainable growth and strengthening regional competitiveness.  The three regional districts are also partners."

Ah, yes...yet another unelected group of people whose decisions affect our lives!  Especially since they're "closely linked to...OBWB initiative".

The B.C. branch's 55-page "Book of Abstracts" from their two-day 2015 conference in Richmond is here.   Its Session 2 dealt with Climate, Water and Agriculture.

Page 8 of its 55 pages states:  

 

"Drought response policies ameliorate the conflict and impacts from water shortages by establishing the responses available to communities during and immediately following a drought. In establishing responses, governments regularly make trade ‐ offs between top ‐ down and bottom ‐ up approaches. Governments, for example, may establish rules for imposing explicit water use restrictions or enable alternative water allocation approaches during water shortages. Each of these approaches imposes a cost on society in exchange for a reduction in the likelihood of future water conflict. Historically, however, governments have set drought response policies with little reference to water user preferences, particularly farmers." 

Page 26 of their Book of Abstracts may be the most shocking, as "30 different pharmaceuticals have been identified in Canadian drinking water..."

  

Wow.

And we in the GVW area were worried about high levels of Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids!  

"We are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh water," stated on page 30, "but the various demands for this resource are not managed to reflect its true value and vulnerabilities."

Page 33 discusses acute gastrointestinal diseases in municipal surface water drinking systems.  Page 34 lists additional topics.

Note the speaker biographies to acronym-heavy group memberships.  

"Raising awareness?" asks Kia, adding "their demand for a moratorium on new water licenses in the Okanagan sounds like they're looking for work in the Okanagan."

They'll likely receive it too.