Greenlands Centre Wellington Community Visions Workshop

Water

What is your vision for greenlands and water resources in TCW?

Wish to have plentiful and clean (safe) water
Want to understand the interconnection of all the impacts of water on us
Want to understand the effects of the broad and cumulative impacts
Aesthetics of water—water is good for the soul, people like to look at water --- we want a place(s) to be able to see water
Accessibility – the example of Elora Public School having a stream that could be enhanced to help educate about the value of water
The protection and buffering of streams throughout CW
Listen to our youth and children about their likes and ideas (the Elora School stream was the idea of the youngster in our group)
We did not see water as a commodity but as a precious resource
Water as a “right” was not seen as an appropriate topic for the morning’s discussion. Rather, a more responsible approach to the management of water was more applicable for this workshop’s purpose.
We felt a new visionary initiative for water was needed --- new approaches to runoff design and used as a source of beauty
A new legal model for water is needed; who “owns” water and /or controls its use (we didn’t get into role of GRCA or the TCW on this point)
Conservation – can we be self sufficient; reuse of gray water
Protection of volume of groundwater – avoiding overuse; a diminishing resource
We need accurate information on water inventories
We need agreed upon, accurate, objective, empirical data on which to base decisions
Self-sufficiency in the requirements for water in CW was seen as a worthwhile goal for the next 25 yr.

What is required for water resources to be protected and enjoyed?

Reliable sewage systems, monitored and maintained throughout the watershed
Community commitment to clear objectives and legal bindings to water management
Keep water in our watershed – no exporting.
Education programs:

On conservation
On consumption (the efficient use) in households, industry, and commercial places
That will change our values on how we should be caretakers of water
On the hydrology and hydrogeology of our area; a staff hydrologist for TCW (perhaps “on loan” from GRCA)

Trees and planting near water to cleanse, filter and stabilize flow
Bans on insecticides, herbicides, and nitrates especially in water recharge areas
Ground and surface water should become the #1 priority in planning and development
Legislation at the local and regional level — regulations that concern groundwater – groundwater is not a private property right
Start small with concrete things individuals can do

Rain barrels
A program for celebrating water (no details)
Access to information – the group didn’t know where to go to get information other than GRCA

There was interest in more specific ideas for conservation and tactical ideas to bring water issues to the public

How does the community benefit from linking greenlands with water?

Benefits of trees helping water quality and wildlife and water helping trees to survive and grow –an interconnection, cyclical, mutually beneficial
Aesthetics of water, its able to personally renew us — we all like to be near water—we are 72% water!
We need a more holistic view of our water “community” – it must be broader in scope to include aggregates, industries, agriculture and more. This leads to a win-win situation for community and greenland
Developers must be more responsible for preserving all water
Healthy water = healthier community – water becomes a catalyst for change.

Previous | Index | Next