DISTRICT of HIGHLANDS MINUTES of SUSTAINABLE LAND USE SELECT COMMITTEE Tuesday, May 10, 2016 @ 5:00Pm SCHOOL HOUSE, 1589 MILLSTREAM ROAD
DISTRICT OF HIGHLANDS MINUTES OF SUSTAINABLE LAND USE SELECT COMMITTEE Tuesday, May 10, 2016 @ 5:00pm SCHOOL HOUSE, 1589 MILLSTREAM ROAD
PRESENT: Val Fletcher Neville Grigg (arrived at 7:20 pm) Dave Mackas Bob McMinn (left at 5:45 pm) Ellie Rayner Allan Roger
ABSENT: Ingo Lambrecht
COUNCIL LIAISON: Councillor Karen Burns
1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Moved that the Agenda be approved. CARRIED
2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Moved that the minutes of the Committee meeting of March 15, 2016 be adopted. CARRIED
3. COUNCIL LIAISON UPDATE Council passed three proposed amendments to Soil Deposit/Removal Bylaw at March 21, 2016 meeting.
Council approved implementing the Public Participation/Community Engagement Policy with proposed changes and the handbook/guide at CoW meeting, April 11, 2016.
Deborah Harford, Executive Director, ACT, Climate Adaptation Scholar and Research Associate, School of Public Policy, SFU Climate Solutions Fellow, SFU Centre for Dialogue, attended Committee of the Whole and made a presentation on adaptation to climate change. CoTW, May 9, 2016.
Five year Financial Plan and Tax Rate Bylaws were adopted at a special council meeting May 9,, 2016.
4. THREATS TO HIGHLANDS SUSTAINABILITY No new issues were identified.
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Minutes – Sustainable Land Use Select Committee – May 10, 2016 Page 2
5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
1. DRAFT Groundwater Protection Pamphlet 2016
Moved that the committee recommends the long version of the pamphlet, including a one-page introduction (aka “teaser”) to encourage residents to keep reading, be mailed out with the tax notices. Final version (V6 – including council’s amendments in red) and Teaser attached. CARRIED
2. SOIL BYLAW - Mine Permit Exemption
After review of further information on issue from council, it was moved that the committee recommend that there be no mining exemption from the soil deposit bylaw. Rationale for this decision provided by Neville Grigg. See attachments CARRIED
3. UVIC Geography Reports on for Community Education and Outreach for Groundwater Protection Practices.
Three Group reports were submitted and the “Group 3” report was declared the winner, the other two reports contained useful information from different perspectives. Neville will review all three reports (attached), the UVIC Law Clinic analysis and the Golder Groundwater Protection Plan and craft a one-page Groundwater Action Plan for review and comment by the committee.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Moved that the meeting adjourn at 8:50 pm CARRIED
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday June21, 2016, 7:00 pm at the School House
Recording Secretary Chair
Page 11 Groundwater Protection and You
• Will my well run dry?
• Will my drinking water become contaminated?
• Will the Highlands turn brown or burn for lack of water?
We now know a LOT about our aquifer: how it works, how much groundwater it holds and the risks it faces.
Please read the attached brochure to learn more about what we can do to protect the quantity and quality of groundwater.
Page 12 Taking Care of Our Water Supply (this flyer was prepared by the Sustainable Land Use Advisory Committee and approved by Highlands Council) What do we know and why does it matter? “Water Table”. This level follows the surface topography, but is normally deeper below the surface beneath hills, and 90% of Highlanders depend on wells for their water; many of the remainder draw surface water from lakes and is closer to the surface beneath valleys and stream beds. It also moves up and down a lot seasonally, rising during the streams. Piped city water is not an option for most of us- it is prohibited by a CRD servicing agreement (urban rainy season when groundwater recharge exceeds removals, and falling (often by ten or more meters) during the dry containment boundary) and installing the pipes and pumps would have prohibitive cost even if the servicing boundary season. were extended northward and eastward to cover everyone. If we want to live in a rural Highlands, we will continue to Within the bedrock, the groundwater continues to flow downhill, although at a much reduced rate. A fractured depend on local water sources (ground and surface) for our houses and gardens, and to keep the surrounding natural bedrock aquifer similar to that shown in the drawing underlays virtually all of the Highlands and much of the CRD. environment healthy and beautiful. Because the pattern of surface streams often follows the pattern of bedrock fractures and groundwater flow, there is Citizens and Highlands Council have long been concerned about threats to groundwater quality and availability. little or no exchange of groundwater between adjoining watersheds. Where and when the water table intersects the Recent steps toward assessing these risks were to identify potential sources of contamination, to estimate supply, soil-bedrock interface, some groundwater returns to the surface via seeps and springs. Although this return flow is a usage and loss rates; and to develop a groundwater monitoring program and water balance budget. This work was loss in terms of summer availability to wells, it plays an important ecological role in damping summer changes in soil started in 2006 by the citizen-led Groundwater Task Force, and led to a contracted 2007-2014 Groundwater Protection moisture, soil and water temperature, and in maintaining some summer streamflow. This in turn helps keep the Study by Golder Associates Ltd, and a set of monitoring and modeling analyses and reports (available online at Highlands green. Much of the water pumped up by wells also gets recycled back into evaporation, transpiration and http://www.highlands.ca/177/Ground-Water-Protection-Study). Baseline monitoring and analysis will surface runoff. continue, and regulatory options are being studied by Council, Staff, and Advisory Committees. This brochure provides a short summary of what we currently know about: Schematic diagram (from 2008 how our aquifer works over the course of a year, Highlands Community Green the main present and future threats to water amount and quality, and Map) showing: what individuals and our local government can do to protect our water supply. The hydrologic cycle of a rural A much more detailed web-based information source is being developed to go on the District of Highlands website. watershed sitting on a fractured bedrock aquifer (precipitation, What is the source of our groundwater? evaporation, transpiration, Our ultimate water source is the precipitation (rain + snow) that falls within or (in a few places) very near the surface runoff and wetlands, Highlands boundaries. Because the headwaters of our main surface watersheds lie within our boundaries, there is and movement of groundwater negligible external stream-flow input. And (contrary to folklore) there is also NO evidence of underground and through soil and cracks in the under-ocean supply from snow-covered distant locations like the Sooke Hills, the Olympic Mountains, or the bedrock). Narrow strips (called mainland Coast Mountains. “lineaments”) containing more abundant and larger cracks lie Historically, we average about 1.1 meters per year of precipitation. Most falls in the winter wet season (more than beneath and along valley 50% November through January, more than 80% October through March). Fortunately for us, some of it gets stored bottoms underground and in surface water features (lakes, ponds, wetlands) from which it can be withdrawn to supply human use and ecosystem function for the remainder of the year plus
Examples of proven household What happens to that precipitation: the hydrologic (water) cycle water conservation practices The exchanges of water between oceans, atmosphere, surface freshwater, groundwater and living organisms is (efficient indoor fixtures and called the hydrologic cycle. The main components are illustrated schematically in the drawing on the right. appliances, drip irrigation, Some precipitation turns back into water vapor before it can soak into the ground (“Evaporation”). Some soaks rainwater and graywater temporarily into the upper layers of soil, but is taken up by plant roots before it can soak deeper into the ground, and harvest and storage, drought- then evaporated out of plant foliage (“Transpiration”) to help the plants stay green and grow. When we irrigate lawns, resistant landscaping). gardens and golf courses, we are choosing to let transpiration and plant growth occur faster and for more of the year. Much of the precipitation leaves the Highlands as surface streamflow (“Runoff”) and makes its way pretty quickly to the ocean. In addition, any coastal snowfall usually melts quickly during the wet season (unlike in higher and colder parts of BC, where a considerable fraction is stored for several months as snowpack, and then released to What happens to the water while it’s in the ground? groundwater and surface streamflow by melting during the dry season). Chemical, biological, and mechanical interactions during slow movement through the soil and bedrock help to Only a relatively small fraction of annual precipitation soaks downward through the soil to enter and fill cracks in filter and purify the groundwater. These also gradually change the amount and type of dissolved minerals and gases. the underlying bedrock aquifer (the infiltration efficiency is about 3-10% in the Highlands, with large variations The amounts of dissolved minerals increase, making the water harder. The amount of dissolved oxygen decreases seasonally, and also with local slope, soil porosity, and vegetation cover). Total storage capacity of the aquifer is also with time in the ground, affecting which minerals are soluble. Water from most Highlands deep wells is somewhat limited. Pore space is about 0.1% of the aquifer volume in most locations, increasing to 1-2% only within a few oxygen-depleted and contains high levels of dissolved iron and manganese. Although not a health concern, these narrow “lineaments” (see picture caption). This means that the storage capacity of a 100 meter thick aquifer is minerals stain plumbing, dishes and laundry, and can alter the taste of the water. In rare cases where oxygen gets equivalent to only a 10-20 cm deep pond – much less than our annual precipitation, and only a couple of years worth completely depleted, specialized underground bacteria produce hydrogen sulphide, the water tastes bad and has a of infiltration. The level below which pores in the soil or fractures in the bedrock are filled with water is called the rotten egg smell, and there is a health hazard. Both situations can be fixed by in-line chemical filtration and treatment. Page 13 What could go wrong for our groundwater supply? Summer evaporation and transpiration rates will increase. Existing “natural” vegetation (mostly forest at present) will be more stressed by summer drought. Cultivated vegetation will want more irrigation. Changes in Threats to groundwater quality amount and type of vegetation cover (for example, from shady moist forest toward arid grass and brush, or to paved Groundwater contamination typically results from poor land use practices, either by individuals or by commercial areas) could further increase evaporation and runoff percentages. and institutional facilities. In rural areas, common sources of groundwater contamination include malfunctioning Interactions of climate change and additional development septic systems; livestock waste (manure); overuse of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides; leaky above-ground Both will contribute to amplification of seasonal differences in water availability and a lowering of the water storage of gasoline, oil, solvents, or paints; and inadequate containment of wastes dumped on or under the soil table late in the dry season. The Golder groundwater model predicts additional lowering of the water table by 1-3 surface. Larger scale public and private dump sites (such as Millstream Meadows, the Hartland CRD Solid Waste meters during the wet season and in valley bottoms, but by 5-20 meters at higher elevations in the dry season. Some Facility, and Tervita) are more closely regulated, but have been or could become contaminant sources if their wells that are marginal now could fail in the future, requiring re-drilling or seasonal top-up with trucked water. containment systems prove inadequate. In both individual and large-scale cases, flooding during extreme rainfall events can overcome containment systems, and cause widespread or localized surface contamination. Poorly installed or maintained wells can provide a shortcut path for contaminated surface water to enter the bedrock aquifer. What can we do to protect our water supply? Threats to groundwater availability Steps to protect groundwater quality Groundwater availability depends on the year-round balance of supply (from the amount of precipitation reaching The BC Provincial Government claims primary regulatory jurisdiction over water quality, but there are many the soil surface and the efficiency of subsequent downward soaking into the soil and the underlying bedrock aquifer) things that individuals can do to make sure their property does not become a contaminant source, and to keep their versus removals (losses to the atmosphere via evaporation and transpiration, losses to the ocean via surface runoff, wells safe from surface contamination. Here are some key suggestions: and withdrawals from the aquifer via wells). Empty your septic tank at least every 2-3 years, and have your septic field tested to ensure its integrity. At least under present climate and land/water use patterns, the annual precipitation (mostly in winter) exceeds Reduce/eliminate application of pesticides and fertilizers. annual losses to evaporation, transpiration, and well-withdrawals (occurring year-round but more intense in Dispose of chemicals and solvents at recycling centers – DON’T dump them down the drain or on the ground. summer). Available pore space in the bedrock is therefore able to fill up sometime during the winter. Any additional Remove/relocate any sources of contamination (storage tanks, hazardous products, garbage, compost, livestock) precipitation leaves as surface runoff (very low in summer through early fall, intense in winter and early spring). that are closer than 30 meters (100 feet) to a well. The main threat to availability occurs toward the end of the dry season, when cumulative removals might lower the Protect active wells by casing their upper ends, and making sure that their wellheads are sealed, covered, locked, water table below the depth of existing wells. and raised above potential flood levels. Cap and seal the upper 1-2 meters of unused wells. Periodically test your water system for both bacteria and contaminants (costs about $40-200 depending on what is Four-year history of water level in measured). A water softener removes minerals, not bacteria. It will NOT disinfect your water. one of the Highlands Groundwater Don’t store unsealed containers of gasoline, oil, paints, or other chemical substances in uncovered locations. Project’s monitoring wells (this well is unused, so its water levels match the surrounding water Steps to protect groundwater quantity table). Note the annual winter fill- 1. Conserve by reducing demands: up followed by annual 12-15 meter Perform a household audit of water use. Reduce waste by repairing leaks, and replacing older fixtures and drop to an end-of-dry-season appliances with more efficient options such as low-flow shower heads and toilets, and water efficient appliances. minimum. An active well at this location would have deeper levels Reduce outdoor demand by replacing irrigated lawn areas with drought resistant plants (xeriscaping) and/or in all seasons, and probably also a allowing lawns to dry out in summer (“brown can be beautiful”). larger annual range. If you do irrigate, use irrigation systems that put more of the water in the ground, and lose less to evaporation. Replace spray heads with ground-level soakers. Irrigate at night or early morning rather than in the heat of the day. 2. Re-use waste water to reduce demand on groundwater Effects of local population growth and land development What is removed by one well affects the supply available to neighboring wells. Intensified residential and Capture and store clean roof runoff (suitable for many non-potable uses). commercial land use will increase the demand for well water pumped out of the aquifer. Each active well produces a Consider altering plumbing to allow recycling of household “grey water” for appropriate non-potable uses (but conical depression in the local water table. The depth and volume of this depression increases with the rate of water this must be done carefully, it is not a good DIY project). withdrawal, the diameter depends on the number, orientation and size of cracks in the local bedrock. But at some 3. Maintain or increase the fraction of precipitation that enters the aquifer - “Slow it down, spread it out, point, the water table depressions extend far enough to overlap and reduce availability to neighboring wells and soak it in” wetlands. In built areas, avoid or reduce the use of impermeable surfaces like pavement. Effects of climate change If feasible, redirect the runoff from remaining hard surfaces onto nearby level and porous catchment areas. Climate science predictions broadly agree that: If feasible and safe, expand surface storage of winter runoff from natural areas (most Highlands lakes are artificial Our local summer dry seasons will become longer and hotter, even under the most optimistic scenarios for reservoirs created by putting small dams in seasonal or year-round streams). But surface water storage also must be reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Recent heat and drought records may well become the new “normal”, and done very carefully to be simultaneously useful, safe, and legal–any new ponds need to be deep enough to support future extreme years will be even hotter and drier than 2015. more than breeding mosquitos, spillways engineered to prevent oxygen depletion of the deeper water, and any new Our winter wet seasons will be shorter, and less of the total precipitation will fall as snow. dams engineered to resist erosion, washout, and downstream flooding by extreme precipitation events. Although total annual precipitation may increase or decrease slightly, more of it will be delivered by intense storm 4. Pressure governments (especially the Province) to improve groundwater management. Although events. Because high rainfall rates greatly exceed maximum soak-in rates, this change could also reduce the fraction groundwater extraction is currently unregulated, some form of licensing is coming soon, at least for large users. of rainfall that reaches the bedrock aquifer. Page 14 Highlands Sustainable Land Use Sub Committee
To: Council From: Sustainable Land Use Sub Committee Date: May 10, 2016 Subject: Soil Bylaw – Mine Permit Exemption
On May 6, 2016 the Mine Permit Exemption Issue regarding Soil Bylaw was referred to the Sustainable Land Use Sub Committee (SLUSC) for review and comment.
On May 10, 2016 the SLUSC recommended that the existing Mine Permit exemption be removed in the forthcoming draft amendments to the Soil Deposit and Removal Regulation Bylaw.
The SLUSC recommendation followed our review of the documents provided: DoH memorandum dated May 6, 2016 regarding Soil Bylaw and Mine Permit Exemption. DoH Report to Council dated May 2, 2016 that recommend retaining the existing exemption. DoH Report to CoTW dated Oct 7, 2015 regarding the Soil Regulation Bylaw Review Letter from Basic Rock Products Ltd dated March 22, 2016. Soil Deposit and Removal Regulation and Fees Bylaw No 341, 2012 (Consolidated). Basic Rock Products website http://capitalcitypaving.com/associated/basic-rock-products-ltd/ BC Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website http://www.gravelbc.ca/aggregate/ Changes in Aggregate Production and Use in Victoria BC (2003) - Terence S. Coulter, P.Eng. Thurber Engineering Ltd. http://conf.tac- atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2003/pdfs/coulter.pdf
The letter from Basic Rock Products claimed competitive disadvantage arising from the proposed loss of exemption from the District’s soil removal bylaw. The author cited competitor operations in Langford, Victoria, North Saanich, Central Saanich and the CVRD.
From the BC Stone, Sand & Gravel Association website we understand that the value of aggregate is low, the weight of the product is high, and that the cost of transportation becomes a primary factor in the consumer cost. From this, we conclude that the benefit of the close proximity of the Highlands mine site to major consumers (construction sites) is more important than the cost of aggregate production.
From the Coulter report we understand that: annual aggregate demand in the CRD is approximately 2.5 million tonnes per year (p12); aggregate production in the CRD exceeds local demand, and the surplus is exported (p 2); source material is changing from sand and gravel to bedrock quarries (p12); and recycled concrete & asphalt is increasing - currently 10% of the total aggregate demand (p12).
The published price list (from the Basic Rock Products website) suggests an average price of approximately $12 /tonne for various aggregate products. With aggregate density of approx 1.6 tonne/m3 (courses.washington.edu/cm425/aggregate.pdf) the price of aggregate is approx $20 / m3.
The DoH Soil Removal or Deposit Fee is fifty cents ($0.50) for each and every cubic metre (m3) of soil removed or deposited pursuant to the Permit. This is approximately 2.5% of the retail price of gravel.
Page 15 Highlands Sustainable Land Use Sub Committee
We also found that the DoH Soil Removal or Deposit Fee was consistent with BC Environmental Compliance Fee (currently $0.30/tonne or $0.48/m3) and that the reporting schedule was also similar.
From our review of the DoH budget and the existing mine site we understand that the environmental cost of an aggregate mine is very high (extreme) and the value to the community and DoH is very low.
To better understand the competitive disadvantage claim, we consulted Local Government Statistics at http://www.cscd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2015.htm and found that that the mill rates in the municipalities where competitors operate is (with the exception of Central Saanich) higher, by a significant amount (1.66x to 1.96x the Highlands).
Light Industry Light Industry Mill Rate RD Municipalities Mill Rate Compared to Highlands CRD Central Saanich 5.60722 0.92 Colwood 38.5902 6.33 Esquimalt 17.41464 2.86 Highlands 6.0936 1.00 Langford 9.3334 1.53 Metchosin 11.1313 1.83 North Saanich 9.6348 1.58 Oak Bay 0 0.00 Saanich 9.1914 1.51 Sidney 7.1934 1.18 Sooke 15.61391 2.56 Victoria 13.8749 2.28 View Royal 8.87083 1.46 CVRD Duncan 12.2785 2.01 Ladysmith 18.007 2.96 Lake Cowichan 16.4729 2.70 North Cowichan 21.1252 3.47
Low Average 1.66
High Average 1.96
Taken together, we found no support for retaining the existing Mine Permit exemption, and agreed that:
1) Soil Removal or Deposit Fees do not constitute economic hardship; 2) Soil Removal or Deposit Fees should be consistently applied throughout the Highlands; and 3) Mining provides little economic benefit and extreme environmental cost to the Highlands.
We therefore recommended that the existing Mine Permit exemption be removed in the forthcoming draft amendments to the Soil Deposit and Removal Regulation Bylaw.
Page 16 CHANGES IN AGGREGATE PRODUCTION AND USE IN VICTORIA, BC
Terence S. Coulter, P.Eng. Thurber Engineering Ltd. Victoria, BC
Paper prepared for presentation at the Recycling Materials for Use in Highway Design Session of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Transportation Association of Canada St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
Page 17 1. INTRODUCTION
Development in the conurbation of Victoria, BC, on the south east corner of Vancouver Island, has benefited from having many good quality sand and gravel pits in the immediate vicinity. Over the years, many of the pits have become depleted and, while undeveloped deposits of sand and gravel near Victoria still remain, these now cannot be accessed because of encroaching development and land-use zoning changes.
The local demand for aggregates continues to increase as the population expands in the overall Capital Regional District1 (CRD). The aggregate supply and demand in the CRD has been studied over the past 15 years and the changes in the types of materials and the sources of production have been observed. These studies show a major shift to aggregate production from sand and gravel pits to quarry sources, an increase in the use of recycled Portland cement concrete (RPCC) and asphalt concrete pavement (RAP) in aggregates, and importation of increased volumes of aggregates from outside the CRD.
This paper describes the trends in aggregate supply in the CRD and its implications for future aggregate production.
2. AGGREGATE SOURCES
In the immediate vicinity of Victoria, significant quantities of granular material were deposited in post-glacial times in ridges in the Saanich Peninsula and in the deltaic deposits between Finlayson Arm and the Strait of Juan de Fuca as shown in Figure 1. West of the Victoria urban area, granular materials from glaciofluvial outwash and ice contact deposits are present, as shown in Figure 2. For a variety of reasons, including material quality, size of deposits, and transportation costs, these potential sources have not been significant in the overall aggregate supply to Victoria2.
An inventory of operating aggregate sources was carried out in 1990 and 1998, and updated in 2003. The location of existing and closed pits in those years is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The most important sand and gravel pit in the region is the Construction Aggregates Producers Pit in Colwood which has been in production since 1919. In some past years, it has been the highest producing pit in Canada with an output of 4 million t per year. Over its 80 year life, in excess of 60 million t of sand and gravel has been extracted. In the recent past, the pit has supplied over one-third of the local aggregate demand, and a significant proportion of the output has been exported to the Lower Mainland and to
1 The CRD as used herein refers to the mainland area within the Capital Regional District, and excludes the Gulf Islands.
2 “Victoria”, as used herein, refers to the Victoria urban area that includes 13 municipalities which form the major urban area within the Capital Regional District.
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Page 18 Washington State. In addition, about 50% of the aggregate production now comes from quarrying bedrock in part of the site. Though still a major producer, the extractable reserves are rapidly diminishing. Plans are being prepared to redevelop the site for a large residential community and aggregate production is scheduled to end in 2006.
The recent trend of developing rock quarries for the manufacture of higher value construction aggregate, particularly for asphalt products, has arisen in response to diminishing supplies of sand and gravel. These quarried rock sources are mostly located west of, and close to, Victoria.
The increasing role of quarry sources in the aggregate supply for the area is shown in Table 1, and the locations of these quarries are shown in Figure 1.
TABLE 1 - NUMBER OF PITS AND QUARRIES
Number of Major: Year Sand and Gravel Pits Bedrock Quarries
1990 9 1
1998 5 5
2003 5 6
In addition to the local pits and quarries, a relatively minor but growing amount of aggregate is supplied from outside Victoria by trucking from west (Highway 14) and north (Highway 1).
Facilities for unloading barges in the Victoria area are found on the harbour in the City of Victoria. Material is typically supplied to these facilities from tidewater-based pits on Georgia Strait and, currently, from Producers Pit. Other potential barge unloading sites are north of Victoria off Highway 1 (e.g. Bamberton, Cherry Point, Cowichan Bay) as shown in Figure 1, but these have not been developed for unloading aggregate. The current Producers Pit aggregate loading facilities will be removed when the pit is closed and the zoning is changed to “Residential”.
3. AGGREGATE PRODUCTION
3.1 Annual Quantity
The amount of granular material produced in the CRD has always been greater than the local demand, and the surplus has been exported. The annual production of both processed and unprocessed granular materials and quarried rock are given for 1978-88
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Page 19 in Figure 3, based on unpublished data from the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources [1]. This data shows a wide variation, with annual production ranging from about 2.2 million t to 4.8 million t. This variation is considered to be predominantly due to fluctuating exports from Producers Pit.
Data for aggregate production for 1993 to 1997 and for 2002, as summarized in Figure 4, was obtained from interviews conducted with the major pit and quarry operators. This information indicates that in recent years the annual production of granular material from pits and quarries has varied between about 2.4 million t and 3.0 million t. The total aggregate production (from sand and gravel and from quarried rock) at Producers Pit in 1996 was about 1.6 million t, of which 900,000 t was consumed in the CRD [2].
The amounts shown in Figure 4 include material from non-commercial sources, such as:
C Production from forest company, municipal, Regional District or Ministry of Transportation pits used for construction and maintenance of their roads, which is estimated to be about 150,000 t/year. C Aggregate produced from bedrock excavations for on-site use, such as at the CRD landfill and during reconstruction of the Trans Canada Highway where an average of about 150,000 t/year were produced in 1995-97.
If material from all sources, including from pits and quarries and from non-commercial sources, is taken into consideration, the estimated peak production was about 3.1 million t as shown in Figure 4.
3.2 Exports
In 2002, about 0.9 million t of aggregate was exported from Producers Pit. The amount exported has varied over the years depending on the demand in the Vancouver area and in Washington State. The amount of exports has to be deducted from produced amounts to determine the local usage.
3.3 Imports
The amount imported into the Victoria area is estimated to be about 250,000 t per year, or roughly 10% of granular material used in the CRD. A variety of materials are imported, including lower grade material like pit-run for fill applications and higher grade material such as that used in manufacturing concrete aggregate.
3.4 Recycled Material
Currently, recycling operations typically combine natural aggregate along with RPCC, RAP, and reclaimed aggregate to meet appropriate specifications. The processing
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Page 20 facilities are typically adjuncts of concrete and asphalt operations. The quantity of RPCC and RAP used locally in the manufacture of recycled aggregate amounts to about 150,000 t/year. These materials are typically combined with natural aggregate to give a combined total amount of recycled aggregate of about 300,000 t/year. The recycled products are used primarily in road construction and in site development as graded aggregate and as engineered fill.
RAP is also used in manufacturing hot-mix asphalt concrete and the amount of RAP used in this process is estimated to be about 30,000 t/year locally.
An estimated 6,000 t/year of crushed glass from bottles is produced and is predominantly used for specific applications such as in drainage aggregate. There is little demand for glass in other aggregates, and it is specifically excluded in some specifications such as for the City of Victoria3 [3] and BC Master Municipal Contract Documents4 (MMCD) [4].
The proportion of recycled materials currently used in aggregates in the Victoria area is estimated to be about 7% of the total aggregate demand.
4. AGGREGATE DEMAND
4.1 Historical Usage
The amount of granular material used in the Victoria area has been determined by considering:
C Total production from CRD pits and quarries, C Production from on-site, and non-commercial sources, C Exports from pits and quarries, C Imports from outside the region, and C Recycled production.
The total amount used in recent years in the Victoria region, from all sources, has ranged from 2.3 to 2.7 million t per year, as shown in Figure 5.
3 Standard Specifications Section 2, Base and Sub-base Preparation, Sub-section2.2(a): “All materials shall...be free from lumps of clay, silt, decomposed rock, glass, organic or other deleterious matter.”
4 Aggregates and Granular Materials, Section 02226 Sub-section 2.11: Recycled Aggregate Material: “Recycled material should consist only of crushed Portland cement concrete; other construction and demolition materials such as asphaltic concrete, bricks, plaster, etc. are not acceptable”.
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Page 21 It is noted that the amount of material supplied from Producers Pit has recently been about one-third of the CRD demand. A considerable increase in imports can be expected when the pit ceases to operate.
4.2 Aggregate Demand Forecasting
Analyses forecasting the requirements for granular materials has been presented in a number of studies. A variety of models, of varying complexity, have been proposed based on determining aggregate demand for specific end uses, such as for an individual residence, and then projecting the total aggregate demand for that use based on forecasts for residential construction. In general the local lack of satisfactory data is a major drawback for such models.
Predicting aggregate demand using regression analysis to correlate demand with factors such as population, GDP, and other commonly generated statistics has been considered to be reasonably satisfactory for the Lower Mainland of BC [5]. In carrying out this type of analysis, it is necessary to have historical data for the aggregate usage and for the appropriate statistics over a reasonable time period.
Statistics provided by CRD Planning indicate that the current (2003) population in the Victoria urban area is approximately 331,000 and the annual growth rate is estimated to be 0.95% [6]. Based on the 1993-97 aggregate usage data and the population statistics for the CRD, the average annual aggregate demand in the Victoria area appears to be reasonably estimated within a range of ±10%, as shown in Figure 6, by:
Average Aggregate Demand = 7.8 t/person/year
This is in the range reported by others of 7 t (US) and 5.2 t (UK) [7], and 8 t (US) and 12 t (Canada) [8].
Over the next 20 years, the average annual aggregate demand in the Victoria area will likely increase by about 25%, from about 2.6 million t in 2002 to about 3.2 million t in 2022.
5. FUTURE SUPPLY OF NATURAL AGGREGATE
5.1 Sand and Gravel
The information provided by pit operators indicate that the current reserves in existing sand and gravel pits in the immediate Victoria area are approximately 4 million t.
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Page 22 The volume of sand and gravel available west of Sooke is estimated to be significant and new sources in this area could be sufficient to meet demands in the CRD for some time provided transportation issues can be overcome.
Despite the increasing proportion of aggregate manufactured from rock sources, aggregate from natural sand and gravel will continue to be required. Sand and gravel is preferred, or essential, for manufacturing products where the workability of rounded particles is advantageous, such as washed aggregate for pea gravel, drain rock and concrete. It is estimated that the requirement for such aggregate manufactured from sand and gravel in the future will be at least 20% to 30% of the total demand, or about 700,000 t per annum.
The current annual rate of sand and gravel production in the CRD is approximately 1.8 million t, but the rate of extraction varies significantly between pits. If the Producers Pit is closed as scheduled, sand and gravel production in the CRD will be restricted to the area from Sooke and the Saanich Peninsula, north of the city. In about 10 years, it is considered that sand and gravel production in the CRD will essentially be in the extreme western part of the Regional District west of Sooke.
Sources outside the CRD will undoubtedly supply a large volume of sand and gravel to the local market. It is anticipated that a significant amount of sand and gravel for concrete manufacture is likely to be imported by barge. In the absence of new importing facilities, these materials will enter the region near the heart of Victoria city.
5.2 Bedrock Quarries
The reserves in the present quarry sources in the vicinity of Victoria, estimated to be about 20 million t, are likely to be sufficient to meet the demand for aggregate for the next 10 to 15 years. In contrast to sand and gravel sources, aggregate production from rock sources in the Victoria area could be increased by expanding the existing facilities or starting new quarries, provided mining permits can be obtained. At present, one quarry application is being considered west of the city.
There is no doubt that the proportion of aggregate manufactured from locally quarried rock will increase as the supplies of sand and gravel become depleted, and will approach 50% of total aggregate demand within a few years. This shift in production is occurring as the costs for importation of sand and gravel material from more distant locations is becoming more costly due to transportation charges, thus offsetting the costs for drilling and blasting quarry rock. For instance, in the Lower Mainland quarrying is considered to become viable when the haul distance for sand and gravel is greater than about 45 min by road. [9]
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Page 23 6. USE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS IN AGGREGATE
6.1 Background
Manufacturing aggregates by combining crushed recycled materials with natural aggregates began, in a significant way, in the Victoria area in the late 1980's. Unfortunately the operation lacked a consistent input stream of specific types of material, with the result that the output stream was very variable. Accordingly there was a lack of enthusiasm for using these products. As the industry developed and matured, quality control and product consistency was improved and this has resulted, in the past several years, in greater product acceptance.
RAP and RPCC are the most important recycled materials used locally, and therefore only these materials are considered herein.
Since the volume of the output depends on the quantity of available asphalt concrete and Portland cement concrete, recycled aggregates will likely remain below about 10% of the total aggregate requirements in the Victoria area.
6.2 Acceptance
Although RPCC and RAP has been used in aggregate for many years, the trend was reinforced by the adoption of policies designed to prolong the life of landfills. Restricting certain recyclable materials including concrete and asphalt has resulted in additional costs for disposing of these materials, and consequently resulted in the systematic use of these materials in aggregate. As a result, a number of aggregate producers now routinely provide materials that incorporate RPCC and RAP.
Acceptance of aggregate materials containing RPCC and RAP has been gained by testing and evaluation of the materials, by assessing the products against conventional aggregate specifications and by experience with their use. However, specific policies, protocols and specifications are not in place locally that govern the use of aggregates containing recycled products.
The discussions following pertain to the use of aggregates used as construction materials such as road base and trench backfill, and do not address their use in manufacturing structural materials like PCC or asphalt concrete.
6.3 Specifications
Aggregate specifications fall into two main categories: gradation and durability. The former specifications can be met by using appropriate processing methods, regardless of whether the material is a natural or recycled product. Material durability is an inherent
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Page 24 property of the particles. Durability specifications are meant to ensure that the aggregate particles can resist breakdown and alteration under long term use caused by loading stresses and by environmental conditions such as freeze-thaw.
Aggregate incorporating recycled materials have to meet the gradation and durability criteria that were developed for natural aggregates to ensure the longevity of the product.
In addition to these specifications, recycled aggregates have to ensure that non- conforming materials such as wood and brick are not present.
6.4 Durability
Studies have been made of aggregate containing various proportions of recycled materials to address durability concerns for these products.
In general, aggregate containing RAP and RPCC, in commonly approved proportions, appear to meet durability specifications. Table 2 summarises test results obtained in studies carried out to determine the properties of local recycled aggregate relative to current BC Ministry of Transportation (MoT) specifications for 25 mm base course aggregate.
TABLE 2 - PROPERTIES OF RECYCLED AGGREGATE
Sample
A B C D Specification
Material (percent by mass)
Natural Aggregate 73 56 42 65
RAP 7 13 16 35
RPCC 19 30 42 0
Other 1 1 0 0
Test Procedure
FIne 9 10 13 11 max. 25% MgSO4 Soundness (ASTM C88) Coarse 2 2 2 2 max. 20%
Sand Equivalent (ASTM D2419) 55 57 74 min. 40
L.A. Abrasion (ASTM C131, Grading C) - - 29 max. 60% (1)
Degradation (BC MoT I-9) [b] 67 76 73 62 min. 35
Note 1: Ministry of Transportation Ontario specification for Granular A (pre-1994)
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Page 25 6.5 Proportion for RAP and RPCC
While there appears to be some agreement regarding the acceptability of using RPCC in aggregates, the same cannot be said for RAP.
Many jurisdictions specifically permit use of RPCC, with no defined maximum percentage, in crushed base course and/or trench aggregates including, for example: C BC Master Municipal Contract Documents (MMCD) C Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) C Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications (OPSS) C City of Calgary
Other jurisdictions allow the use of RPCC, since it is not specifically excluded by aggregate specifications. Generally, an unwritten allowable maximum proportion of RPCC has been established by these jurisdictions based on local conditions: C City of Victoria 50% C Municipality of Saanich 50% C City of Edmonton 65%
OPSS fully define the acceptability and the criteria for the use of RAP in granular base and subbase [10]. In other jurisdictions, the permissibility of RAP in granular base, subbase or trench aggregate is not well established. Its use appears to depend on local acceptance and discretion. Where RAP is permitted by specifications, the allowable proportion of RAP is typically not defined.
Some observations regarding the use of RAP in granular aggregates are as follows:
C BC MMCD prohibits RAP in general use4, but permits an undefined amount in base course from cold milling and full depth reclamation operations5. C Some municipalitites that have adopted the MMCD have developed local Special Provisions or have tacitly permitted the use of RAP in base and trench aggregates. C The City of Edmonton produces and uses a crushed base course product (“63 mm Reclaim”) generally consisting of 60% RPCC and 25% RAP. C OPSS permits up to 30% RAP in base course. C MTO allows up to 30% RAP generally, and up to 50% in some conditions such as full depth reclamation [11]. C While silent on the acceptability of RAP in aggregates, some Victoria municipalities permit up to 50% RAP in aggregates for base, subbase and trench backfill applications. C Although not directly permitted by specifications, BC MoT has used RAP in subbase aggregate from material produced by a full-depth reclamation operation.
5 Section 02574 Cold Milling, and Section 02575 Full Depth reclamation
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Page 26 It is difficult to proportion an input stream consisting of recycled and natural materials to assure a consistent output stream. In one study conducted by the author, eleven samples were taken in accordance with ASTM D75 from a 20 mm crushed aggregate stockpile containing RPCC, RAP and natural aggregate. Categorizing the component materials visually in a laboratory yielded a wide range in the proportion of the different materials in the product, as illustrated in Table 3.
TABLE 3 - COMPONENTS OF RECYCLED AGGREGATE
Percent of component material, by mass, retained on 4.75 mm screen
Natural Aggregate RAP RPCC Other
Average 56 13 30 1
Standard Deviation 11 6 9 1
Maximum 73 24 44 3
Minimum 42 6 18 0
While in this instance the wide scatter in the results are partly due to quality control issues in the manufacture, relatively significant variations in the proportion of recycled material can be expected to exist throughout a stockpile. This makes it difficult to conduct meaningful compaction tests for reasons outlined later.
A major consideration in determining the allowable RAP content is the fact that the aggregate strength decreases as the RAP content increases. An MTO study indicated that above 30% RAP content, the strength of aggregate determined in CBR tests was unacceptable [11]. This showed that the CBR at 30% RAP was just over one-half of that for aggregate with no RAP. In a study by the author using a 20 mm base course aggregate, having a gradation shown in Figure 7, the CBR decreased with increasing RAP content as indicated in Table 4.
TABLE 4 - CHANGE IN CBR WITH RAP CONTENT
Product Proportions % RAP particles CBR >4.75 mm size (%) RAP Natural Aggregate (by mass)
25% 75% 16 30
35% 65% 23 29
45% 55% 30 19
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Page 27 6.6 Permeability of Aggregates containing RAP
The permeability of product containing RAP is one that is of major concern since poor drainage of a road structure is probably the most frequent cause of pavement distress.
Permeability of a well graded aggregate is mainly a function of the fines content (% passing 0.075 mm screen). An MTO study [11] indicated that “provided the blend of RAP and natural aggregate materials remain within the acceptable limits of a granular A, lack of permeability does not pose a significant problem”. This is in accord with general observations of this material in the Victoria area.
6.7 Field Density
Other investigators have recognised the fact that, for aggregate containing RAP, asphalt cement influences the results of in-situ compaction tests carried out using nuclear densometers [11]. The moisture content displayed on the equipment is greater than the true value, as determined by other test methods. In addition, the density is lower than the actual value.
In a study by the author, a comparison was made using nuclear and sand cone procedures to determine density and moisture content at six locations in a backfill consisting of 20 mm aggregate containing about 6% RAP and 40 % RPCC. The average in-situ density test results are summarized in the Table 5.
TABLE 5 - SAND-CONE & NUCLEAR DENSITY TEST RESULTS
Nuclear Method Sand-Cone Method Nuclear /Sand- ASTM ASTM ASTM ASTM Cone D2922 D3017 D1556 D2216
Wet Density (kg/m3) 2172 2246 97% Dry Density (kg/m3) 1976 2093 94% Moisture Content (%) 10.0 7.4 135%
This data indicates that even a relatively small amount of asphalt cement can make a significant variation in the measured in-situ density. In this case, the nuclear densometer under-estimated the actual density by 6%. This is important since specifications require that an aggregate attains a density that is not less than, typically, 100% of the value determined in test procedure ASTM D698. In this example, using a nuclear densometer as a basis for acceptance of density would penalize the contractor.
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Page 28 A possible solution, and one that is sometimes adopted, is to conduct initial correlation tests using both sand-cone and nuclear densometer test methods. From this data, a method-based approach can be developed for acceptance, e.g. determining the minimum number of passes of a particular compactor. For some applications, for instance in trench backfilling, this requires constant vigilance of an inspector in order that the compaction can be “signed off”.
It is evident that use of RAP in construction aggregates requires a greater degree of inspection and testing than where natural aggregates alone are used, in order to provide the assurance that the aggregate placement meets specifications for compaction.
6.8 Construction
There is general agreement from a variety of jurisdictions that recycled aggregates for road, municipal and land development applications are easy to work with, even in moderately wet conditions.
In some instances, it has been commented that support is better than for natural aggregate and this may reflect the fact that the material has a higher proportion of crushed and angular particles.
7. SUMMARY
Studies of the aggregate industry in the Victoria area indicate that the annual amount aggregate demand is approximately 8 tonnes per person, for a total of about 2.5 million tonnes per year for the region. The amount required over the next 20 years will be about 60 million tonnes.
The local source material is changing from sand and gravel to bedrock quarries. An increasing amount of recycled material including Portland cement concrete, asphalt concrete and natural aggregate is being produced in response to environmental policies and economic considerations. The amount of recycled material will be governed by the annual amount of demolition products from roads and structures. The amount of recycled material as a proportion of the total aggregate demand is about 7% and it is unlikely to exceed 10%.
Current local specifications are vague on the acceptability of recycled material and do not address the criteria for their use, such as allowable recycled proportions in the products. This situation is not unique to the Victoria area and it appears to be present in many jurisdictions. The standards in use in Ontario provide a comprehensive basis for jurisdictions that are considering adoption of specifications for the use of recycled concrete, asphalt and other materials.
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Page 29 REFERENCES
1. Thurber Engineering Ltd. Capital Regional District Sand and Gravel Study, Report to Capital Regional District. Vancouver, BC. August 1990.
2. Aggregates and Roadbuilding Contractor, Volume 11, Number 5. Edmonton AB, September 1997. p.17
3. City of Victoria. Standard Specifications, Engineering Services, City of Victoria. Victoria, BC. 1996.
4. Master Municipal Construction Document - Specifications, Volume 2, Master Municipal Construction Document Association. Vancouver, BC. 2000.
5. Coriolis Consulting Corp. Development of a Model for Forecasting the Consumption of Aggregates in the Lower Mainland. Unpublished draft report to the British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Vancouver, BC. 1996
6. Population Estimates, Capital Regional District, Victoria, BC. August 2002,
7. Smith, M.R. and L. Collis, Editors. Aggregates: Sand, Gravel and Crushed Rock Aggregates for Construction Purposes. Geological Society, Engineering Geology Special Publication No. 9. The Geological Society, London. 1993
8. Langer, W. 1995. Geological Aspects of Natural Aggregate Resources and their Development in Canada and the United States, Proceedings of Aggregate Forum, March 30-31, 1995, Information Circular 1996-6, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Victoria, BC. 1996
9. Hora, Z.D. 1995 Aggregate Resources of the Greater Vacouver aned Lower Mainland Market, BC: Problems and Future Outlook. Proceedings of Aggregate Forum, March 30-31, 1995, Information Circular 1996-6, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Victoria, BC. 1996
10. Ministry of Transportation Ontario. Special Provision No. 110F133 Aggregates for Granular O, A, B, M and Select Subgrade Materials. Ontario Provincial Standards Volume 2. Ronen Publishing House, Toronto ON. 2002.
11. Senior, S.A., Szoko, S.I. and Rogers, C.A. Ontario’s Experience with Reclaimed Materials for Use as Aggregates. Proceedings of the International Road Federation/Transportation Association of Canada Conference, Volume 6, pp A31 - A55, Calgary AB. July 1994
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Page 30 FIGURES
Figure 1 Victoria Area Granular Deposits, and Location of Pit and Quarries.
Figure 2 Western CRD Area Granular Deposits, and Location of Pit and Quarries.
Figure 3 Aggregate Production 1978 - 1988
Figure 4 Aggregate Production 1993 - 2002
Figure 5 Aggregate Usage
Figure 6 Projected Aggregate Demand
Figure 7 Gradation of RAP in Base Course Aggregate
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Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Annina! Altherr, Madison Guthrie, Maria! Kawahara, & Rylee Christenson ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Water Resources Management . University of Victoria . Dr. Michele-Lee Moore ! Page 37 ! !
We acknowledge with respect the traditional lands and watersheds of the WS’ANEC’, Lkwungen, Wyomilth, and Malahat peoples in which the District of Highlands and the University of Victoria are situated upon.
Thank you to Val Fletcher and Dr. Michele-Lee Moore for providing the students of Water Resources Management with this opportunity.
1 Page 38 Table of Contents
Introduction ------3 Problem Statement ------3 Goals ------3 Objectives ------3 Background ------3 Historical Context ------4 Current Issues ------4 Future Issues ------5 Public Outreach Strategy ------5 Survey ------6 Social Media------7 Smart Home Water-Use ------8 Elementary School Program ------9 Rationale ------10 SWOT Analysis ------11 Monitoring Strategy Effectiveness ------12 Summary ------12 References ------13 Appendix A ------16 Appendix B ------17 Appendix C ------18 Appendix D ------19
2 Page 39 Introduction Groundwater protection and conservation in British Columbia has recently received more attention as users are increasingly aware of the limited freshwater resources around the world. BC alone has over 900 aquifers, and nearly 750 000 BC residents depend on groundwater for their source of drinking water (Liggett & Talwar, 2009). Therefore, it is crucial to address groundwater issues and conflicts in order to protect and conserve water sources from overuse and surface contamination. This has become a concern in the Greater Victoria District of Highlands, where the majority of residents draw water from a single aquifer.
Problem Statement The District of Highlands is concerned about the lack of public education surrounding groundwater use and management. Golder Associates, contracted by the District of Highlands, conducted research around local groundwater use and compiled a three-phase groundwater protection report, which includes recommendations for protection and conservation of groundwater resources. A public education and communication strategy is among these recommendations. However, the community is struggling to implement these recommendations successfully on a volunteer basis with a zero dollar budget. The following proposal expands upon the Golder Associates study to provide additional strategies on a zero dollar budget plan to increase public awareness and achieve public outreach.
Goal The goal of this project is to provide tangible opportunities for implementing an effective communication and public outreach strategy to educate residents of the District of Highlands on groundwater use and protection, especially in light of climate change and growing concerns over possible overuse, contamination, and future development.
Objectives 1. To develop free and accessible educational tools that will increase active public engagement in groundwater conservation, protection, and contamination prevention 2. To provide suggestions for water conservation and protection activities that will reach all age demographics within the District of Highlands 3. To ensure that suggested outreach and educational tools can be provided at no cost, on a volunteer basis in order to provide continual community support 4. To establish partnerships and connections within the local community, adjacent school districts, nearby universities, and other organizations invested in environmental sustainability
Background The District of Highlands is a municipality within the Capital Regional District, located on Vancouver Island (see Figure 1 in Appendix A) and has a small rural population of about 2100 people who primarily use groundwater from the Wark-Colquitz aquifer for drinking, home activities, agriculture, and business practices (Golder Associates, 2012; Kenny, 2004; StatCan, 2016). The surrounding municipalities in Greater Victoria do not face major groundwater issues as they largely depend on municipal surface water supply (Kenny, 2004). Municipal surface water infrastructure has not been developed within the District of Highlands (Kenny, 2004).
3 Page 40 Although communal wells have been developed in the Highlands southern regions, the majority of water is drawn from private domestic wells (Kenny, 2004; Golder Associates, 2012). The new Water Sustainability Act does not contain any requirements for private domestic well owners to obtain licensing; owners are also not obligated to pay water fees (Information for Property Owners, 2016). Well owners in the Highlands who voluntarily licenced their wells were entered into BC’s WELLS database; in 2004, 373 wells were registered, however the majority of well data is largely unknown (Kenny, 2004). Groundwater demand in the Highlands is expected to rise due to a growing population, increasing urban development, and changing climatic conditions (Kenny, 2004; Golder Associates, 2012). From 2006 to 2011, the Highlands population increased by 11.4 % (BC Stats, n.d.). Development in the Highlands continues to expand, placing greater strain on the Wark- Colquitz Aquifer, which has been listed as moderately vulnerable by the BC Ministry of Environment (Golder Associates, 2012). The Wark-Colquitz aquifer covers an area of 209km2 and extends through the municipalities of the District of Highlands, Colwood, Langford, Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich, and View Royal (Kenny, 2004). Growing concern over the quality and the quantity of water in the aquifer caused the local government to hire a consulting company in 2007 (Golder Associates, 2012). Golder Associates provided the District with a Groundwater Protection Study, which contained information on the conditions of the Wark-Colquitz Aquifer and a set of recommendations to help protect and sustain the water in future development (Golder Associates, 2012).
Historical Context The Colony of Victoria first surveyed the area now known as the District of Highlands in 1964 (District of Highlands, 2013). Settlers in the Highlands owned generous portions of land, potentially contributing to today’s proportionally low population density of 0.9 people per net hectare squared, compared to the provincial average of 7.4 (District of Highlands, 2013). In the past, residents of the area were mainly subsistence farmers who also supported themselves with small-scale logging operations and exports (Districts of Highlands, 2013). Eventually these subsistence farmers moved out of the region and forest companies bought up the land, resulting in deforestation and loss of old-growth habitat (District of Highlands, 2013). The historical context of the District of Highlands has greatly influenced the geography of the municipality. Today, parkland and green spaces represent 38% of the municipality, and have contributed to the rural, small-town feel Highlanders are proud of (District of Highlands, 2013). However, the municipality is growing concerned over the increasing rate of development. As a result, the CRD’s Regional Growth Strategy in 2003 aimed to protect and manage important ecosystems within the Highlands from further development (Capital Regional District [CRD], 2003).
Current Issues In a meeting with Val Fletcher, a long-time District of Highlands community and committee member, three issues that are currently the major concerns around water in the Highlands were identified: water overuse, water contamination, and climate change. Water overconsumption is seen as the most important issue. There are currently no regulations on groundwater for residential use in the Highlands; water is drawn from individual wells located on each property (Golder Associates, 2012). According to Mr. Fletcher, the large majority of residents within the District of Highlands draw water from the same aquifer. Residents currently access potable water from their unmetered private wells at no charge, which
4 Page 41 makes monitoring water use a challenge (Golder Associates, 2012). Since residents draw water at no charge, there is also no financial incentive to be conscious of water use and conservation strategies. As a result, community members draw immense amounts of water from their wells, particularly in the summer months, and for the first time in decades, some residents ran out of water during summer 2015 (V. Fletcher, personal communication, March 10, 2016). Additionally, nearby Millstream Industrial Park and Bear Mountain Golf Course are both intensive water users (Golder Associates, 2012). Climate change is also a major concern for water resources in the Highlands region. Rain and snow recharge the aquifer that the majority of residents depend on; however, climate change will likely decrease the amount of precipitation received in the area, resulting in a decrease of groundwater levels in the Highlands (Golder Associates, 2012). Climate change is therefore likely to decrease water availability, which will be a major issue should residents of the Highlands continue to draw from the aquifer without monitoring water use and making a conscious effort to reduce water usage. Finally, Mr. Fletcher named groundwater contamination as a major concern. Contamination from industrial and commercial activities is a possibility, but contamination from residential septic fields is also an issue. In the District of Highlands, the majority of residents have septic fields on their properties, but there is a lack of knowledge for how to take care of these systems properly (V. Fletcher, personal communication, March 10, 2016). Septic fields are one of the largest contaminants of all groundwater pollution sources (Ouyang & Zhang, 2012), and insufficient septic field care in the Highlands could have immense implications for groundwater quality in the area.
Future Issues The new BC Water Sustainability Act (WSA), which came into force in 2016, kept intact the first-in-time, first-in-right (FITFIR) water distribution arrangement (Brandes & Brandes, 2014). This has created concerns regarding future groundwater use and allocation as urban density increases (Brandes & Brandes, 2014). Under the WSA, FITFIR will ensure the users who obtained licenses first - including private, commercial and industrial - will have priority in accessing groundwater before the environment and public sectors (Brandes & Brandes, 2014). The Highlands are experiencing an increase in population growth, and as a result urban development and energy demands are expected to rise to meet the needs of the community (Centre for Sustainability, 2011). Furthermore, groundwater sources in BC may experience reduced amounts of recharge due to climate change (Scibek et al., 2007; Golder Associates, 2012). Without amendments in the WSA, climate change would disproportionately impact the public and the environment, as private users and businesses under FITFIR would have priority access to water sources (Fumano, 2016). According to the 2012 Golder report, climate models indicate that future conditions in the southern regions of Vancouver Island will experience a decrease in rainfall during the summer months, resulting in an increase in evapotranspiration rates and likely a reduction in the amount of water recharge to the Wark-Colquitz aquifer (Scibek et al., 2007; Golder Associates, 2012).
Public Education Outreach Strategy By taking into account the historic, current, and future issues facing the Highlands, we have developed a public outreach strategy specifically tailored to the municipality. One main objective of our proposed public outreach program is to reach the diverse demographic of the
5 Page 42 District of Highlands. In addition, our strategy is low cost and volunteer based. To facilitate garnering a volunteer base, we propose a partnership with the University of Victoria to hire a work-study student as a project manager. The student hired would coordinate the implementation of our proposed strategy, and would act as a liaison between the District of Highlands, community members and outside organizations. The UVic Work Study program pays for $11 of the hourly wage for this position, and requires a minimum of 100 work hours and a maximum of 340 hours (University of Victoria, 2014). We believe that this type of employment would greatly benefit both the District of Highlands and UVic students, and would be favourable to the effective implementation of the strategy. An example of a job posting for such a position can be found in Appendix B. Currently, the District of Highlands relays community information via email, regular mail, and bulletin boards, and during bi-weekly farmers markets and weekly community coffee houses. Below we outline four additional outreach strategies that would increase the public’s awareness and engagement in groundwater protection and conservation.
Survey A study was conducted in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA, which bore many similarities to the District of Highlands in both social and ecological contexts. The study included 1800 residents in rural areas in which 75% of the population relied on groundwater (Mahler, Simmons, & Sorensen, 2005). A fifty-question survey was designed to gain a broader knowledge of the general attitude and engagement towards groundwater quality and quantity issues. The survey concluded that public education would be best received through radio, television, newspapers, and Internet sources, with community workshops and seminars garnering less support (Mahler et al., 2005). In general, the residents of the Pacific Northwest were concerned about the quality of their groundwater resources, however were less knowledgeable about water scarcity issues (Mahler et. al., 2005). Producing and conducting a similar survey for the approximate 2100 residents of the District of Highlands would be a valuable preliminary step in implementing a public outreach program. The survey would provide the District with baseline data concerning public perception of environmental issues and the levels of engagement the public would be willing to commit to. Although a larger selection of potential survey questions is included in Appendix C, questions could include information about current knowledge of groundwater and conservation, willingness to participate in water conservation activities, and interest in new methods of communication including social media. To reach out to the maximum amount of residents possible in the Highlands, the survey could be distributed by mail, on the Highlands website, and through social media accounts. A survey could also be distributed throughout the outreach process to assess the success of the program and gather data for improvements.
Strengths and Limitations One of the main benefits of distributing a survey of this nature would be to gather feedback on current public engagement and awareness in order to determine which types of public outreach would be most effective. In addition, using online survey templates would be cost-effective, timely, and would reach some newer members of the community who may not be on the conventional mailing list (Wright, 2005). Although a survey such as this would provide many benefits to the Highlands’ Public Outreach plan, limitations are present. A main limitation to an implemented survey would be the
6 Page 43 need for a multitude of distribution methods to meet the diverse needs of Highlands residents. There are many free survey design sites available to create surveys, however, not all residents would be able or willing to access the Internet to participate (Wright, 2005). In addition to access issues, inaccuracies associated with sampling such as falsified data and misinterpretation of results are common (Wright, 2005). Compiling the data received from each survey, in a variety of distribution formats, would also be time consuming and tedious, although this task could be completed by the Project Manager, if hired. Overall, surveys do have limitations and challenges but could positively contribute to planning and future decisions regarding the Highlands’ public outreach program.
Social Media Social media can be a great way to reach a wide audience and create a place for people to access information easily. We suggest that the District of Highlands create a Facebook page that could be used to post the monthly newsletter, groundwater conservation tips, and links to informational sites about initiatives such as the Septic Savvy program. For example, Facebook could advertise the current bi-weekly council meetings, and could also provide a synopsis of the meetings for those who are unable to attend. This would create a central location where residents could access this information if so inclined. An important aspect of creating a Facebook page is promoting two-way dialogue for effective communication (Nah & Saxton, 2012). The Facebook posts need to contain as many photos as possible and be short and to the point, as well as include questions that generate response and discussion (Lee, 2014; Swerdlow, n.d.). For example, asking a question such as “What are you doing today to save water?” creates the two-way dialogue needed between the District and the general public. The public then has the option to comment their thoughts or concerns; these responses would need to be monitored and responded to in a timely manner (Lee, 2014). Posts should be as frequent as possible with multiple posts a week in order to keep the public engaged. Should the District decide to partner with the UVic Work-Study program, the hired Project Manager could run the Facebook page and could compile information to post. The timing of the posts is important as well (Lee, 2014). During the summer there should be more frequent posts, especially when water scarcity is an issue. For instance, last summer in the Highlands, water was trucked in as wells became dry (V. Fletcher, personal communication, March 10, 2016). Although this event was unfortunate, it can be used as a platform for conservation via social media. Increasing social media presence or recruiting volunteers during this time would be a good way to use water scarcity as an incentive to get people involved. The Facebook page can be an effective way to keep a community informed, updated, and can help connect people with resources during a crisis.
Strengths and Limitations Some of the benefits for using social media in the Highlands include that it is free, easy to use, and does not require a large time commitment. Another great benefit of using social media is that it can update residents more frequently than a newsletter. For example, when water conservation is critical you can remind people daily on Facebook how important it is to be conserving. It is also an effortless way for the residents to access information since the posts appear on their Facebook newsfeed, meaning they do not have to find this information on their own time.
7 Page 44 One of the largest issues with this outreach plan is encouraging people to use Facebook as a tool to connect with their community. The adoption of Facebook use is positively correlated with how useful people perceive a Facebook page to be (Mazman & Usluel, 2010). If a Facebook page acted as a central location for all information, members of the public may be more interested in joining in order to access community resources. The adoption of Facebook can also foster a sense of online community (Mazman & Usluel, 2010). However, issues are often discussed online, but not acted upon. The Facebook page should encourage and plan events to get people out from behind their screens and engage in a face-to-face conservation. The page should not be the only pathway of communication between the residents and volunteers, but rather a place to have discussions, provide information, and encourage people to connect outside of Facebook. The Facebook page would require upkeep, however, it does not need to be a time consuming or onerous task, but rather something that needs to be looked at briefly each day.
Smart Home Water-Use We propose using eco-feedback technology to create a Smart Home Water-Use app designed to increase the public’s awareness of groundwater scarcity and pollution. Eco-feedback technology involves collecting, measuring and providing evaluations on activities within a group for the objective of reducing negative impacts on the environment (Froehlich, Findlater & Landay, 2010). The Smart Home Water-Use app would have the ability to track water usage within homes and businesses, and would encourage users to participate in water challenges and games that would promote daily acts of water conservation and sustainable use. The proposed app would contain multiple tabs the user could navigate through, including a water use tracking feature, an ‘information’ page, and a ‘fun’ page. The water use tracking feature will encourage residents in the Highlands to become more conscious of their daily and monthly water use. In addition, the app could be designed to identify which of the participants’ activities contribute to their highest water usage and then offer suggestions for water recycling solutions. The ‘information’ page would highlight key facts about the District of Highlands’ groundwater system and provide water conservation ideas that can be used in homes and businesses. The ‘fun’ page could replicate the design for water challenges and games found in an app called ‘30 by 30’, which was created and implemented in California for the purpose of promoting water conservation activities and increasing public awareness of issues of water scarcity (Businesswire, 2015). The '30 by 30' app provides badges for the participants who decrease their home water usage over time (Businesswire, 2015). In addition, the app has the option of letting the user challenge and compete with Facebook friends or Twitter followers in water challenges and games (Businesswire, 2015). Potential resources for creating the Smart Home Water-Use app include students at the University of Victoria, who are in programs such as Computer Science, Web Design and Management, and Software Engineering. If a UVic student was hired as part of the Work-Study program for the position of Project Manager, he or she could pursue partnerships with professors in these programs who are seeking term projects for their students. Other resources to create the proposed app could be the UVic Web Design and Development club. This club brings together students who are looking to build upon their professional work experience and already have some skills in building and designing apps as well as other media products.
8 Page 45 Strengths and Limitations The proposed app can provide the user with direct information about the groundwater quality and quantity in the Highlands. The app would be free to download, easily accessible and easy to use. As a result, the Smart Home Water-Use app would increase residential users’ awareness and understanding of their water usage activities and promote water conservation practices. In addition, the app would be used as an interactive educational tool that can involve young children and families in the water conservation movement within the Highlands. Limitations to the Smart Home Water-Use app include that the app does not reach individuals who are less comfortable with technology. As a result, this demographic may be unaware of their daily water usage activities and fail to reduce and conserve water. Secondly, this app may face challenges in providing accurate water usage reports for each participant due to varying ages and styles of individual homes’ infrastructure.
Elementary School Program Studies have demonstrated that children are often willing to make changes to behaviour once educated on the subject (Thompson et al., 2011). One study implemented a water conservation curriculum in approximately 800 classrooms, and found that over 16 000 students were willing to continue water conservation practices after the end of the project (Thompson et al., 2011). This type of success story could be mirrored in the Highlands area, if a similar project was implemented in nearby elementary schools. In BC, the elementary school science curriculum covers the basics of the water cycle. This education starts in Grade 2, with a small unit on the water cycle, water use, and basic water conservation (Ministry of Education, 2005). This knowledge is further developed in the Grade 5 science curriculum, where students learn about nonrenewable and renewable resources; in this unit, they are expected to learn vocabulary including water cycle, groundwater, surface runoff, leaching, biodegradable, natural resources, watershed, conservation, recycling, extraction, and pollution (Ministry of Education, 2005). However, we suggest implementing a more hands-on learning experience for grades 5-7, where each student would be tasked with learning about their own impact on water resources, including where their water at home comes from, what threatens their water source, and how they could make small behavioural changes to reduce human impact on water resources. We are not suggesting making a permanent curriculum change, rather incorporating a project like this with the existing science curriculum. This would be an opportunity to work closely with elementary school teachers, and is an opportunity to educate them as well as they prepare the lesson or project plans. This project could include a field trip to a private well, or other water sources such as the CRD’s Sooke Reservoir, which would be an opportunity for students to see where the water comes out of the ground. An example project is included in Appendix D.
Strengths and Limitations This educational strategy has several strengths. For one, the strategy promotes an interactive, hands-on approach to learning and conservation. Interactive learning is often more effective than simply learning from a textbook or a lecture, particularly when it comes to conservation-oriented behavioural changes (Lee et al., 2013). Having the students find out more about where their water comes from and the threats to that source makes the issue much more personal than a generalized lesson from the teacher. The students in these targeted elementary school classrooms will likely come from several municipalities. This approach will help
9 Page 46 individualize the project to each student, making the material more relevant. This strategy also fosters peer-to-peer learning between students, teachers and parents. By having each student learn about their own water situation, a wide range of topics can be covered when the students present their projects to the class. Parents will also have the opportunity to learn from their children, as the families work on the project together. Through helping their children reduce and reuse water, parents will also learn that such activities may not be as difficult as they might seem, and may be inspired to sustain water conservation measures past the extent of the project. This educational strategy has the potential to nurture lifelong water conservation habits, as the children will be implementing these habits at a young age (Lee et al., 2013). This strategy does have some limitations. For example, the District of Highlands will have to take the time to find teachers at nearby elementary schools willing to take on this project, and must then meet with those teachers to help develop an appropriate water conservation project for the students to complete. However, this task can be delegated to the Project Manager should the District of Highlands choose to hire a Work-Study student. Implementing this project into the regular school curriculum may also be difficult depending on the volume of units the teacher is already mandated to cover. Recognizing that there is no school within the District of Highlands, this program would have to be implemented in schools nearby that host the majority of the Highlands’ students. While this is a challenge, it is also an opportunity for wider engagement of students and teachers in water conservation issues.
Rationale Survey A survey distributed to residents of the Highlands would be beneficial in providing feedback and information for the proposed public outreach implementation strategies. The District of Highlands could gauge the level of interest and concern residents have towards groundwater quality and scarcity, hence, contributing to the overall public outreach program as currently there is no baseline data on this subject. The survey could provide the District with feedback on which public outreach techniques would be most highly received and which would be less effective, as well as the appropriate method of contact, for example determining whether social media would be well received or not.
Social Media The Highlands is home to a diverse demographic of residents that could be reached with a social media outreach program, which would provide a central place for information on groundwater initiatives. The creation of a Facebook page is a simple and costless way to provide information to the general public. Currently, the Highlands has been providing a monthly newsletter via email or mail highlighting key issues in their community, and although this has been a great way to reach many people, it may not be reaching the full demographic. The Highlands currently uses no form of social media and relies solely on the newsletter to inform its residents. Social media may appeal to new families moving into the Highlands, as they may not be receiving these newsletters.
Smart Home Water-Use App The proposed app is an example of a newly emerging and increasingly popular form of research and data collection called eco-feedback technology (Froehlich, Findlater & Landay, 2010). The benefit of using an eco-feedback technology such as the proposed environmental app
10 Page 47 is that it can be designed to reach and interact with an audience that is unaware of how their day- to-day activities impact the environment (Froehlich, Findlater & Landay, 2010). In addition, the app will be able to relay the collected information the participant voluntarily provides to the District of Highlands, giving the local government continually updated information about water usage in the region (Froehlich, Findlater & Landay, 2010). The Smart Home Water-Use app would promote behavioural change through incentives, rewards, and penalties in the water challenges and games. Incentives to provide users with goals have been found to increase participant consistency, attention, and efforts for a specific activity (Steinmayr, Bipp & Spinath, 2011; Froehlich, Findlater & Landay, 2010).
Education Reaching out to adults can be quite difficult, as they do not always have time outside of their families to devote to environmental awareness causes. Engaging children can also be challenging, as they often have busy schedules and are not always fully immersed in community initiatives. Therefore, implementing an elementary-level school program would help engage both children and their parents in water conservation initiatives. Parent involvement in childhood education has been shown to improve the learning outcomes for children and helps strengthen parent-child bonds (Hornby, 2011). For parents, involvement in their children’s education has been linked to increased parental confidence as well as increased interest in their own education (Hornby, 2011).
Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Below, we outline a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis on our proposed strategy.
Strengths • Encourages residents to attend local community events and engage with issues that threaten and impact the region • Presents a zero dollar budget plan, meaning that the Highlands government does not have to invest resources into implementing these suggestions • Forms partnerships with interested groups and individuals • Offers a wide variety of options aimed for different demographics meaning the entire community could be engaged • Can be implemented individually based on community need and volunteer capacity Weaknesses • Poses challenges for monitoring the effectiveness of proposed objectives until more residents install water metering systems for their properties • Relies on the same group of individuals who tend to be on many or all of the committees and volunteer groups, which may cause high volunteer turnover rate and stress (V. Fletcher, personal communication, March 10, 2016) • Could have unforeseen costs when implementing portions. As the project continues, volunteer turnover and waning interests, combined with lack of monetary incentives, may result in parts of the project not reaching completion • Relies on the cooperation of outside groups such as UVic and nearby schools
11 Page 48 • Does not address the issues between the provincial government’s FITFIR water distribution and the local First Nations groups regarding the conflict of rights and titles over groundwater sources Opportunities • Allows for future partnerships to form between the District of Highlands and interested institutions (schools and universities) and individuals • Relies on volunteers and donations, and allows individuals to participate in the community to gain skills with education and outreach • Leads to further involvement of volunteers with the community and increasing social capital Threats • May result in resistance as people may be reluctant to change their behaviours regarding water usage. This unwillingness to participate would result in the failure of the strategy since it relies on the community to engage and partake in the proposed plan • Faces uncertainty surrounding climate change; groundwater recharge may decrease over time, resulting in our proposed strategy needing amendments to accommodate these changes
Monitoring Strategy Effectiveness We recognize that progress can be difficult to measure and in order to ensure that the strategy is being effectively implemented, indicators need to be identified. Here, we outline a few ways that education and awareness around water conservation in the Highlands could be monitored over the next several years after the strategy has been implemented: • In order to determine whether education levels have increased within the community, the same survey proposed in our strategy can be conducted before and after the other components of the public outreach plan have been implemented, and the results can be compared over time. • Survey the students from elementary schools that implemented a water conservation project to determine whether they continued water conservation practices. • Monitor usage of the proposed app through statistics included within the app’s software. • Monitor social media usage through “views” on posts, likes, followers, and shares on Facebook. • In order to reduce volunteer hours we suggest that residents can choose to self-report their water usage bi-monthly via an email provided on the Facebook page if they have decided to install a water meter.
Summary Groundwater overuse and contamination have caused concern in the District of Highlands, which now faces challenges in implementing an effective public outreach strategy for groundwater conservation. The strategy outlined above discusses the benefits and limitations of a variety of communication methods, including social media, surveys, a Smart Home Water-Use app, and a water conservation project at the elementary school level. We hope that implementing these initiatives will help the District of Highlands reach their community members and foster long-term sustainable water use.
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District of Highlands. (2013). District of Highlands official community plan schedule A. to bylaw no. 277. Retrieved from https://bchighlands.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/4080.
Froehlich, J., Findlater, L., & Landay, J. (2010, April). The design of eco-feedback technology. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp.1999-2008). 10.1145/1753326.1753629.
Fumano, D. (2016). Council of Canadians report pans B.C.’s new Water Sustainability Act. The Province.
Golder Associates. (2012). Phase 3: Groundwater Protection Study District of Highlands. Victoria, BC. Retrieved from http://www.highlands.ca/DocumentCenter/View/1334.
Hornby, G. (2011). Parental involvement in childhood education: Building effective school- family partnerships (1st ed.). New York: Springer.
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13 Page 50 Kenny, S. (2004). Aquifers of the Capital Regional District. Retrieved from http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/plan_protect_sustain/groundwater/aquifers/aquifers_crd/p dfs/aquif_crd.pdf.
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Lee, L., Lin, K., Guu, Y., Chang, L., & Lai, C. (2013). The effect of hands-on ‘energy-saving house’ learning activities on elementary school students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding energy saving and carbon-emissions reduction. Environmental Education Research, 19(5), 620-638.
Liggett, J., & Talwar, S. (2009). Groundwater Vulnerability Assessments and Integrated Water Resource Management. Streamline Watershed Management Bulletin, 13(1).
Mahler, R. L., Simmons, R., & Sorensen, F. (2005). Public perceptions and actions towards sustainable groundwater management in the Pacific Northwest region, USA. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 21(3), 465-472. doi:10.1080/07900620500036604.
Mazman, S. G., & Usluel, Y. K. (2010). Modeling educational usage of Facebook. Computers & Education, 55(2), 444-453. Retrieved from http://www.scienced irect.com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/science/article/pii/S0360131510000424.
Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia. (2005). Science K to 7: Integrated Resource Package. Retrieved from https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/pdfs/sciences/2005scik7.pdf.
Nah, S., & Saxton, G. D. (2012). Modeling the adoption and use of social media by non-profit organizations. New Media & Society. Retrieved from http://nms.sagepub.com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/content/early/2012/08/07/146144481245 2411.full.pdf+html.
Ouyang, Y., & Zhang, J. (2012). Quantification of shallow groundwater nutrient dynamics in septic areas. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution, 223(6), 3181-3193.
Scibek, J., Allen, D., Cannon, A., & Whitfield, P. (2007). Groundwater–surface water interaction under scenarios of climate change using a high-resolution transient groundwater model. Journal Of Hydrology, 333(2-4), 165-181. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.08.005.
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14 Page 51 Steinmayr, R., Bipp, T., & Spinath, B. (2011). Goal orientations predict academic performance beyond intelligence and personality. Learning And Individual Differences, 21(2), 196-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2010.11.026.
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Thompson, R., Coe, A., Klaver, I., & Dickson, K. (2011). Design and implementation of a research-informed water conservation education program. Applied Environmental Education & Communication, 10(2), 91-104.
University of Victoria. (2014). UVIC Work Study Program. Retrieved from http://www.uvic.ca/registrar/safa/work-study/.
Wright, K. B. (2005). Researching internet-based populations: Advantages and disadvantages of online survey research, online questionnaire authoring software packages, and web survey services. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(3), 0-0. doi:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2005.tb00259.x.
Title page image: Explore Vancouver Island. (n.d.). Thetis Lake Regional Park. Retrieved from http://www.explorevancouverisland.com/Thetis_Lake_Victoria_BC.htm.
15 Page 52 Appendix A. Map of the District of Highlands
Figure 1. Map of the District of Highlands, Vancouver Island. Retrieved from District of Highlands (http://highlands.bc.ca/187/Maps).
! "'! Page 53 Appendix B. Example Job Posting for a Work-Study Student
WORK STUDY PROGRAM J O B P O S T I N G
JOB TITLE: District of Highlands Groundwater Education Outreach Strategy Project Manager
DEPARTMENT NAME: Environmental Studies, Geography
CONTACT NAME: Undetermined
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The successful candidate will be the Project Manager responsible for working with the District of Highlands, community members, and other organizations (including elementary schools and universities) to implement a public education and outreach strategy for groundwater conservation.
Duties may include: Ø Designing and distributing a survey to gauge public knowledge about and interest in local groundwater issues, then compiling survey data to be used for future studies Ø Creating and maintaining social media accounts for the District of Highlands, including posting photos, links, minutes from council meetings, and other relevant information Ø Collaborating with clubs, students and professors at the University of Victoria to design and create an app for groundwater education Ø Collaborating with elementary school teachers and students to design and implement a water conservation project Ø Helping the District of Highlands with other tasks related to the strategy
QUALIFICATIONS:
Ø Full time or part time student in environmental studies, geography, or other related field at UVic Ø Experience with environmental education, public outreach, and project management Ø Good verbal and written communication skills, adaptable to a variety of audiences Ø Familiarity with issues relating to groundwater and sustainable water use
JOB LOCATIONS: Working remotely District of Highlands
WORK STUDY WAGE: $11.00
HOURS AVAILABLE: 6 hours per week. Hours subject to flexibility. Some evenings and weekends may be required for public events.
HOW TO APPLY: Please send your resume and application to ______at ______
17 Page 54 Appendix C. Survey for Gauging Public Education and Engagement
1. General Information Date of Birth: Occupation: Gender: Number of Household Occupants: 2. How concerned are you about groundwater quality?
Very Somewhat Neither Somewhat Very Not Sure Concerned Concerned Concerned or Unconcerned Unconcerned Unconcerned
3. How concerned are you about groundwater quantity?
Very Somewhat Neither Somewhat Very Not Sure Concerned Concerned Concerned or Unconcerned Unconcerned Unconcerned
4. Do believe groundwater conservation and protection is important?
Very Somewhat Neither Somewhat Very Not Sure Important Important Important or Unimportant Unimportant Unimportant
5. Would a social media site be useful in accessing information on groundwater and other community information from the District of Highlands?
Very Useful Somewhat Useful Neither Useful Somewhat Not Very Not Not Sure or Not Useful Useful Useful
6. Where do you access information regarding groundwater? (please circle all that apply)
Social Media Highlands Emails Newspaper and Public Not Sure Website Mail Workshops
7. Would you download an app used to monitor and reduce your groundwater use?
Yes No Not Sure
8. Would you install a water meter in your home, solely for the purpose of water conservation?
Yes No Not Sure
9. Are you aware that the District of Highlands completed an extensive groundwater study?
Yes No Not Sure
10. Please provide any additional comments regarding the current public outreach strategy.
Thank you for participating in this survey! Your answers will help us continue to improve the Highlands Groundwater Outreach Program. We collect data periodically and use it to help assess whether all needs are being met. If you would like to receive regular updates, please visit our Facebook page or provide your email: ______
18 Page 55 Appendix D. Elementary School Water Conservation Project
Example for a water conservation project at the Grade 5-7 elementary school level Ø Classroom portion: Along with the required science curriculum material on water, the teacher provides an overview on water uses in the Victoria area, and educates the students on possible water conservation measures they can implement in the home. § Interactive activity: construction of a model of an aquifer, using sand, clay, and silt materials. Pipettes can be used to mimic rain infiltration. The students can stimulate aquifer overuse and what happens to water supply when it can not be recharged quickly enough. Ø At-home portion: Students and their parents work together to identify their water source, then research both short-term and long-term threats to their water source. Next, the families can determine the main water uses in their home, and identify at least 3 ways of using less water, recycling and/or reusing water in and around the home. This information can be written as a short assignment and handed in to the teacher within 1-2 weeks. For the next several weeks, or for the rest of the term, the students and their families will implement water conservation measures. At the end of the term, each student will present their findings and experiences to the rest of the class. Parents can be invited to this activity as another engagement and education opportunity. o Examples of potential water conservation strategies: § Reducing shower times by a few minutes § Turning off taps while doing dishes, brushing teeth § Collect shower water while you heat the water for washing fruits and vegetables, or watering plants § Install a rainwater barrel for water houseplants and gardens § Collect water used for pasta and washing fruits and vegetables to use for watering plants § Look into installing water meters to monitor well water used, or look into grey water recycling systems Ø Field trip portion: Visit a local water source, such as a private well or a municipal reservoir, to learn about where the water comes from, where it goes, and what challenges water managers face. As an example of the type of field trip this could entail, the City of Richmond has initiated a Water Services School Program to educate local students on local water governance (City of Richmond, 2002). This program takes elementary school students to municipal water sources, reservoirs, dams, and hydroelectric facility to educate them on local water management issues. A water conservation project for schools near the District of Highlands could partner with adjacent municipalities for field trips.
19 Page 56
“Conservation and Community Outreach in the Highlands”
Carlynn Byrne (V00753618) Peter Cooper (V00756606) Taylor Kelly (V00747566) Matt Kemp (V00721579) University of Victoria Geography 371 (A01) Submitted to: Michele-Lee Moore March 24th, 2016
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Page 57 Introduction: The District of Highlands has created a plan to implement public outreach for their community. However, with a budget of zero dollars and a small portion of their population volunteering, it makes things complicated. They have strategies that include public presentations, brochures for the public to educate about safe gardening practices and rain-harvesting to conserve water use. But they are struggling with how to engage and educate their community with these strategies (Moore, 2016).
The population of Highlands has increased in size of 13.4% from 2001-2006, and 11.4% from 2006-2011, and the average family size in 2006 was ~2.71 people per private dwelling (Statistics Canada, 2007). There is no data regarding the average age of the population which can make the idea behind public outreach difficult because age can be a variable towards establishing target audiences. With the population increasing dramatically within the past 15 years, water resources are becoming heavily over-used. Since residents are on their own wells and do not have meters to regulate their water use, it is unknown as to how much the community is using overall. Most residents are on their own septic systems as well, meaning there is a greater chance of contamination of their well water, if there is no regular maintenance of the septic system.
Public outreach is important for this community because it is growing and expanding very quickly. There are no schools in the area, which can make it difficult to reach out to the younger population of the Highlands but, there is a new community centre that can hold up to 150 people which can be a good way to reach out to the active community (Highlands, 2016). We have come up with some large- and small-scale changes to the original plan, and have done research behind each suggestion in hopes to make the public outreach strategies a bigger success for when they choose to implement them.
Study Area: The District of Highlands is one of the 13 municipal members that make up the Capital Regional District (CRD). It is located on the southwest part of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, northwest of Victoria, and has an area of 38.05 km². The area consists of about 2100 residences with roughly 779 private dwellings (BC Stats, 2011). The geology of the Highlands consists of Wark-Colquitz Complex, which comprises massive and gneissic metadiorite, metagabbro and amphibolite with some quartz-feldspar gneiss and localized limestone and crystalline marble (Associates, 2008). Underneath the bedrock, there is a large aquifer, the Wark-Colquitz aquifer, that supplies a majority of the residents with groundwater (University of Victoria, School of Earth & Ocean Sc; British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air P, 2004). Most residents are using groundwater that is drawn from wells on their private properties, and have their own septic systems.
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Page 58 Our Plan for the Outreach Program: Community Outreach We aim to reach the Highlands community through recognition of their concerns around water sustainability, revising the community’s water use and conservation standards, and reinforcing what we believe to be the best methods to facilitate dissemination and action. Our proposal aims to encourage the residents of the Highlands community with a new approach to achieving conservation, social learning and communal resilience.
Firstly, we recommend alterations to current infrastructure, such as low-flow toilets and showerheads, simple water catchment systems, and water meters to accurately monitor usage. We understand these ideas can be controversial, and have sought ways to balance those costs in our planning. Showers and toilets account for about two-thirds of household water going down the drain (Consumer Reports, 1995), and are a simple first step to cutting down, switching to low-flow fixtures has the potential to result in significant energy and water-use savings in residential areas, as long as clear and reliable measurement procedures are in place to ensure the reported savings are accurate (Mvudi & Pretorius, 2013). These initiatives have the potential to boost the adaptive capacity of the Highlands community through increased monitoring and inter-connectivity. The result is intended to create an informed management plan that facilitates social learning within the community, increasing avenues for self-organization and accountability.
How do we build resilience? Addressing and engaging the Highlands community will be challenging, and there needs to be an understanding that certain roles must be filled in order to effectively provide information to the residents, while providing guidance and discussion. It is important to remind residents of the positive consequences behind these changes to help encourage behavioural change (O’Brien, 2009; Riedy, 2009). Residents will need to accept that the process may take time in order to see the benefits once they have started making changes on their water usage. Engagement within the community has potential to create strong networks where residents can learn together on how to adjust and change their behaviour towards water use (Balazs & Lubell, 2014). Meaningful discussion and interpretation within the community will form a deeper connection by enabling social interaction between residents around conservation practices of their own. Since shifts in community practices require multi-level collaboration from residents to industry and government, community gatherings are recommended to create and build on inter-connectivity (Riedy, 2009). This can contribute to improving capacity of residents involved, especially when paired with the ability to observe and interpret significant changes, such as environmental indicators (Reed, Fraser, & Dougill, 2006).
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Page 59 Outreach Strategy: Climate change and water scarcity is rarely acknowledged until a large group of people can personally experience the impacts and self-organize towards mediation. Therefore, pro-activity must be encouraged to prepare for further water-related conflicts so the infrastructure is established when true scarcity takes effect.
In order to distribute information around water scarcity and potential solutions, we will be targeting homes directly with the distribution of pamphlets that outline major causes of over-use and ways that simple changes can alleviate those tensions. This will also be the first step in consulting Highlands residents of the need for water metering to achieve fair and equal allocation, as well as building accountability throughout the community for the sake of managing water use. The second step in consulting the residents in Highlands would be to introduce the significant benefits behind developing water catchment and recycling systems and what their general uses are. An example that already exists within the Highlands is at the “world’s greenest modern house”, known as ‘Eco-sense’, owned by Gord and Ann Baird (2014). The Bairds have built this legacy, managing to utilize and instruct regenerative, sustainable design on a daily basis while striving to to help others see positive change (Baird, 2014). Although this example is far beyond our expectations, it shows that the intent and capacity exists within the community, and is accessible when residents look for solutions to the impacts of climate change.
Next, we will look to emphasize these initiatives around the new community hall in hopes of addressing individual concerns and strengthening the interconnectedness between residents within the region. By using bulletin boards at various popular locations, we aim to make relevant material readily available for those seeking information about educational seminars, or opportunities for ways to get involved. One downfall with these options is that they address a general audience and lack the personable interaction for effective translation, or the tailoring of messages that a specific listener requires (Brown & Riedy, 2006).
Finally, in taking advantage of the ‘Highlands Fling’ in September, as a comfortable and engaging event where community members can connect and enjoy Fall festivities. We intend to set up a kiosk that enables us to supply relevant information through displays and conversations, allowing us to adapt to the audience and provide real-time feedback. In hopes, this event will gives us the opportunity to establish a deeper connection with audiences, provide important information directly, and clearly explain the impacts of not changing the behaviour of water use. Even if a fraction of the population attended, we expect the positive effects to percolate through the community. The booth will have a station for water testing, as well as a series of models that display various rain catchment systems with an analysis of their costs and benefits. In addition, a simplified informational station will be set up to explain the importance of septic upkeep and some of the hazards associated with not pumping your septic tank. Lastly, this kiosk will
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Page 60 emphasize on the need for water recycling in the Highlands, especially when it comes to yard care, and will go through a series of simple applications that allow residents to get the most out of the water on their property. Here are some more detailed changes to the plan on a small- and large-scale.
Discussion: Small-scale Changes to the Plan: A Booth at the Farmers Market A farmers market booth during the summer in the Highlands would be a great start to create a visual image of what people’s tap water could look like if they are not more careful. Figure 1 would be a good example to show at the farmers market, because it is showing residents of Bharatti Park in India holding black water from their own taps which had a leakage of untreated waste into their water source (Nadu, 2013).
Figure 1. This is an image of residents in Bharatti Park in India holding black water from their own taps which contained raw sewage, a resident discovered it from the awful odour and colour (Nadu, 2013).
If there was a way to engage the community, it would be to get residents to bring in their own tap water and have water testing kits available and allowing the people to see the quality of their own water. There would be a group of volunteers that would run the booth, and would be able to answer questions that individuals may have. We would hope that there would be water kit or time donations from the CRD Water Quality Division staff to help educate the people of Highlands for free due to having a budget of zero dollars. This has been done successfully in Illinois at the Peoria Farm show, where they allowed residents to bring in their own water samples in a clean container and provided free, confidential results within minutes of the quality and nitrate content in the water (Mitchell, 2015).
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Page 61 Water efficiency for your garden and lawn Another part of the plan is to create brochures that are to be handed out during farmers markets, posted on bulletin boards and online to the Highlands website that show the residents what type of plants are water-friendly and to inform them on how to conserve water for their lawns especially during the high peak temperatures in the summer. Some drought tolerant plants that could be recommended are: Smokebush, Red Hot Poker, Hen and Chicks, Iceplant, Hummingbird Trumpet, Origanum ‘Nymphenburg’, and Santolina (CBC News, 2015). These seven plants bloom throughout the summertime and rely very little on water to survive. Implementing the idea behind ‘brown is the new green’ is another way to educate the community about conserving water use for their yards. However, if residents still choose to water their lawns, it is best to educate them on when they would get the best use of their water, for example watering between 11am-3pm would not be beneficial, but watering from 6am-10am is more ideal (Scotts, 2015). This type of information on the brochure can inform residents that they can still have beautiful gardens without having to use too much water and not having to worry that their plants and lawns may not survive the hot summer conditions.
Large-scale Changes to the Plan: Rainwater Barrels and Greywater Rain barrels are a new trend that is popping up in many different communities worldwide. They are very successful at capturing water that has fallen on the roof, made its way into the gutters and down into the downspout leading to the ground. However, instead of the water just washing away as runoff, it can be used for a number of different uses around the house (Li, Boyle & Reynolds, 2010). The water that has been captured in these barrels can be stored for however long the resident would prefer and can be used simply by attaching a hose at the bottom and opening the valve. This method can be used during the hot and dry summer months, to reduce the amount of water that will be drawn up from the aquifer when residents want to water their lawn or gardens (Noh, Chung & Seo, 2015). Greywater is another means by which residents are able to reduce the amount of water that they use in the summer. Greywater is the water that is leftover after taking a shower/bath or washing the dishes (Mohamed, Kassim, Anda & Dallas, 2013). Residents should consider saving greywater from these everyday tasks as it can be used on lawns and gardens instead of adding more wastewater to their septic tanks. There is no harm done to any flowers or grass from any type of soap that is mixed in with the water, but greywater from a shower/bath should not be used in vegetable gardens as the soap may be absorbed by the vegetables and can be toxic if consumed by humans (Mohamed et al., 2013). When both greywater and rain catchment systems are in place, a resident can save up to 12% of their water consumption over the summer (Li et al., 2010) and avoid the risk of drawing up too much water from their well. This can be implemented in the Highlands by hosting information sections at the community hall as well as displaying the information to residents at the farmers market about how much water can be saved and the benefits behind rain barrels.
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Page 62 Implementation of Residential Water Meters A large-scale change to the plan that requires improvement is the regulation of the Highland’s groundwater and to implement monitoring. Currently, there are no residential water meters implemented in any households in the community, allowing for unrestricted and overuse of groundwater. This is problematic as users are unaware of the amounts they are drawing up from their wells, and do not have any incentive to stop their over-usage. With the new adaptation of the ‘Water Sustainability Act’ that now includes groundwater usage, we felt installing th residential water meters would be an appropriate addition to the new plan. As of February 29 , 2016, all non-domestic groundwater users are required to apply for a water license and to pay an application fee and annual water rentals (BC Government, 2016). This unfortunately doesn’t apply to homeowners, but they are encouraged to register their wells so it can be protected. With hot and dry summers that are only getting warmer annually, metering could be the easiest means of reducing the community’s water usage.
We are aware there may be backlash from residents towards the implementation of water meters, and realize it may be a difficult task to get everyone to accept that groundwater is now being monitored. As an incentive, these meters could be installed in the homes in the Highlands district by the CRD, which would negate any costs from our zero dollar budget. This would also be of no cost to the homeowner. The CRD would be responsible for monitoring these meters once they are in place to measure usage. If there were to be costs for installation, incentives would be used so the homeowners would feel comfortable having a meter installed in their household. This could include rebates, or getting a larger tax return if there is proof of a water meter installed. This would not be able to be done by volunteers as it would be government-related, but it could be an idea pitched to the local government that would benefit them in the long run. Residents would be assured the meters are not used solely to monitor their use to charge them, but that the meters would be used to monitor water use and for data collection to better the community environmentally as a whole.
To measure what would be considered ‘over-usage’, census data would need to be collected from each home in this region. Each person living in the home would have a limit of 250L per day that is uncharged. But once exceeding the limit of 250L, there will be another limit up to 400L, and a charge would be introduced to encourage conservation. This charge would be $0.10 per 50L over 250L until 400L is reached. Once the water usage per person is over 400L per day, the costs will increase exponentially. For every 50L used after 400L, the charge would be $0.35. We understand that this cost is much higher than other regions, but the reasoning is to encourage conservation and penalize those who use the limited groundwater carelessly. 400L per day per person is an exceptionally large amount of water to use, so we feel that this would be an appropriate fee to utilize.
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Page 63 This is our strategy, in an example: The Smith’s are a household of four that live in the Highlands. The Smith’s have a large front and backyard and many non-native plants in their big garden. During the summer, it is important to them that their lawn remains green and healthy. They are aware that watering every day uses a large volume of water, but they are not concerned as they draw it from their own well so they do not limit their use. Since there are four residents in this household, their maximum daily use without any sort of cost to them is 1000L. We will assume they use a sprinkler on their front and back lawn for one hour each day, using a total of ~600L. We will also assume every family member is using 350L per day. This adds up to 2000L per day from only one household. This is 1000L more than the ‘uncharged’ daily allowable use for this household.
If there is 1000L uncharged, that still leaves 1000L that will be charged. From this 1000L that will be charged, 600L of that will be charged at the first rate of $0.10/50L. This adds up to $1.20 per day. The leftover 400L will be charged at the second rate of $0.35/50L. This section adds up to $2.80 per day.
The total water cost for this family during summer months (summer example due to lawn watering – May to August) would be $480 if they continue their water usage practices as normal.
This illustrates an example of what a family of four may experience if they use an exceptionally large amount of water after these meters are implemented. This example was meant to be drastic and give an extreme idea of what costs people who are chronic over-users may see. Having mandatory water meters in the Highlands area could have great potential for water conservation. As mentioned in class, as soon as you show usage on a water meter, studies have shown that use can decline from 10-17% (Moore, 2016). Many residents are simply unaware of the amount of water they are using, especially if they have no way of tracking it. The easy addition of a water meter will allow residents to see the amount they are using. Some residents may be surprised and make a change in their lifestyle and others may be willing to pay for over-usage. We think the addition of water meters to every household will have excellent results in water-use reduction and raise general awareness of water scarcity and the importance of conservation as individuals and as a community.
What is a Septic System? Since the area of the Highlands consists mostly of bedrock, it makes it difficult to install infrastructure of a sewer system for all residents, which is why a large portion of the population has septic systems. A septic system is a single-chamber tank that receives the raw wastewater from the home (Jarrett, 2016). They are designed to facilitate the removal of solids heavier than water by encouraging these solids to settle to the tank floor, creating a sludge layer (Jarrett,
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Page 64 2016). The decomposition period of the solids is slow. Once the treated wastewater leaves the tank, it is piped into additional treatment units or distributed to the soil absorption area (Jarrett, 2016). A septic system has requirements and maintenance guidelines like any other running system does. We think the residents of the Highlands should follow the requirements of how frequently they should clean their septic tanks, as shown in Table 1, because it is likely to reduce the risk of contamination and overflows of septic water into groundwater. This can depend on the number of people and the size of your household, the septic tank size, the amount of volume of wastewater used to and the amount of solids to know how often you should have your tank pumped (InspectAPedia, 2015).
Table 1. This is a table displaying the Septic Tank Pumping Frequency (in years) depending on the septic tank size (in gallons) and the number of individuals in a household (1-10 people) (InspectAPedia, 2015). Household Size – Number of Occupants
Septic Tank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Size
(gallons) Septic Tank Pumping Frequency in Years
500 5.8 2.6 1.5 1.0 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 --
750 9.1 4.2 2.6 1.8 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.3
900 11.0 5.2 33 2.3 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.5
1000 12.4 5.9 3.7 2.6 2.0 1.5 1.2 1.0 0.8 0.7
1250 15.6 7.5 4.8 3.4 2.6 2.0 1.7 1.4 1.2 1.0
1500 18.9 9.1 5.9 4.2 3.3 2.6 2.1 1.8 1.5 1.3
1750 22.1 10.7 6.9 5.0 3.9 3.1 2.6 2.2 1.9 1.6
2000 25.4 12.4 8.0 5.9 4.5 3.7 3.1 2.6 2.2 2.0
2250 28.6 14.0 9.1 6.7 5.2 4.2 3.5 3.0 2.6 2.3
2500 30.9 15.6 10.2 7.5 5.9 4.8 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.6
For example, a typical family size in the Highlands is roughly ~2.71 people per household (Statistics Canada, 2007), which means if they were to have a 1000-gallon tank, they should have their septic tank pumped every 3.7 years. And if they do not follow this guideline, 9
Page 65 they are likely to run into some serious problems with their septic tank, and potential problems with their well water quality if wastewater were to seep into the groundwater. We understand that there is always going to be residents that do not follow the guidelines that are recommended, so to decrease the amount of people who do not want to clean their septic tanks, we plan to create incentives for those that do follow the guidelines, such as a discount card provided from the septic cleaning company, “buy three cleanings and get one free.”
Why should you have to clean your septic tank regularly? InspectAPedia’s septic tank pumping frequency guideline ensures that you are less likely to have any further problems down the road. Typical problems that may occur if you do not follow Table 1 are: septic leachfields which can feed partially treated wastewater into a drinking water source, badly constructed percolation system which may allow water to escape without proper treatment, and a system failure which can result in clogging and overflow to land or surface water (Pedersen, 1997). When the septic tank is full of solids, the solids begin to escape the tank with the existing wastewater and will clog the soil absorption area and restrict the movement of wastewater into the soil (Jarrett, 2016). A septic tank needs to be pumped before the captured solids accumulate to the point where these solids begin being carried with the tank effluent to the absorption area (Jarrett, 2016). It is always a smart idea to get a certified PSMA Inspector to tell you if your septic tank needs repair or maintenance to prevent future accidents (Jarrett, 2016). If we plan to display this disturbing visual to the public, it may be a good way to interact and show residents the negative consequences of not pumping your septic tank.
Testing your tap water quality from your own well Since the Highlands consists mostly of bedrock, it makes it difficult to install infrastructure for water mains, which is why 90% of residents are on wells (Moore, 2016). Most individuals do not test their water quality because they do not realize how easy it can be for water to become contaminated. For example, a resident claimed that he has not tested his water in the 32 years and the only reason he tested it once was to get a mortgage on his home when he originally purchased it. A valid reason to test your own drinking water is to know that you are not posing a health risk to yourself and to your family from any form of contamination. An individual is responsible for monitoring their own well water quality, and there are several things to keep in mind. Some tips to watch out for is the colour, odour and taste of your water (Nova Scotia, 2014). A bacterial quality should be checked every six months, and the chemical quality should be checked every one to two years (Nova Scotia, 2014). Some ways of avoiding contamination is: to not allow liquids or wastes from contaminant sources such as garbage and manure piles to drain towards the well, grow a grass buffer but avoid using pesticides or fertilizer, and do not place your septic tank near your well (Nova Scotia, 2014). Once water has become infected, it is not exactly an easy fix because it has to be completely flushed out and restarted which can create complications since water is becoming such a sacred source. 10
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Conclusion: In the District of the Highlands, there are a number of ways that the community can be informed and encouraged about conserving water. There will be information meets that will be held at the community hall, pamphlets that will be sent out to all the residents and put on the Highlands website and placed on bulletin boards at popular locations. Our initiatives are to provide short-term and long-term changes to the plan. Some short-term actions that can be taken to account to reduce water usage is by installing low-flow units in households, these include dual-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads, as well as using greywater to water lawns and gardens. Some long-term actions that are suggested to reduce water usage include the installation of rain barrels and water meters on residents wells. It is being suggested that residents should consider reducing the risk of water contamination by pumping their septic tanks on a regular basis to avoid leaching of unwanted sewage into their water supply. If residents are unsure of the quality of their water, we plan to provide be free testing done at farmers markets over the summer as well as at community meets at the community hall. There can be multiple issues behind the changes and suggestions we’ve made to the plan for the District of the Highlands. Residents can choose to not engage with the public and volunteers, residents can choose to continue to use too much water and pay the assigned fee without changing their behaviour, and residents can choose to not pump their septic system and not test their water quality. Having a budget of zero dollars also restricts the types of strategies that can be implemented.
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References:
Associates, G. (2008). Phase 1: Groundwater Protection Study District of Highlands. Victoria, B.C. retrieved from on March 20: http://highlands.bc.ca/DocumentCenter/View/1341
Baird, G. & A. (2014). Mission Statement. Eco-sense; regenerative design: water, food, energy, lifestyle [webpage]. Accessed from: http://eco-sense.ca/about/
Balazs, C. L., & Lubell, M. (2014). Social learning in an environmental justice context: a case study of integrated regional water management. Water Policy, 1697-120. doi:10.2166/wp.2014.101
BC Government. (2016). Water Sustainability Act. Retrieved from: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/new_rules_in_effect_ under_wsa_brochure.pdf
BC Stats. (2011). 2011 Census Total Population Results: Municipalities by Regional District. BC Stats. Retrieved from on March 21, 2016: http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/StatisticsBySubject/Census/2011Census/PopulationHousing/ MunicipalitiesByRegionalDistrict.aspx
CBC News. (2015). Gardening: 7 drought-resistant plants you can grow. CBC News. Retrieved from on March 20, 2016: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/gardening- 7-drought-resistant-plants-you-can-grow-1.3176932
Consumer Reports (1995). Water savers: We tested low-flow shower heads and toilets to see if you need to sacrifice performance to use less water. Yonkers: Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. [magazine], February 1995; pp. 118-124.
Highlands. (2016). Community Hall. District of Highlands. Retrieved from on March 21, 2016: http://www.highlands.ca/228/Community-Hall
InspectAPedia. (2015). Septic Tank Pumping Table Shows When to Clean the Septic Tank. InspectAPedia. Retrieved from on March 20, 2016: http://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Pumping_Schedule.php
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Page 68 Jarrett, A. (2016). Septic Tank Pumping. Penn State Extension. Retrieved from on March 20, 2016: http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/septic-systems/septic-tank- pumping
Li, Z., Boyle, F., & Reynolds, A., (2010). Rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment systems for domestic application in Ireland. Desalination. 260(1-3) 1-8, doi:10.1016/j.desal.2010.05.035
Mitchell, L. (2015). Water Testing Available at Peoria Farm Show. Illinois Corn. Retrieved from on March 21, 2016: http://www.ilcorn.org/media/daily-update/article/2015/11/water-testing-available-at-peori a-farm-show
Mohamed, R., Kassim, A., Anda, M., & Dallas, S.(2013)A monitoring of environmental effects from household greywater reuse for garden irrigation. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 285(10) 8473-8488, doi:10.1007/s10661-013-3189-0
Moore, M. (2016). Water Conservation Planning. Lecture presented in Geography 371 at UVic, Victoria.
Mvudi, Y., & Pretorius, J. H. C. (2013). Influence of water pressure in the evaluation of energy savings achieved through the use of low flow shower heads. Industrial and Commercial Use of Energy Conference; Aug 20, 2013, pp. 1-4.
Nadu, T. (2013). Sewage mixes with drinking water. The Hindu. Retrieved from on March 20, 2016: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/sewage-mixes-with-drinking- water/article4714307.ece
Noh, S., Chung, E., & Seo, Y., (2015) Performance of a Rain Barrel Sharing Network under Climate Change. Water. 7(7) 3466-3485 doi:10.3390/w7073466
Nova Scotia. (2014). Tips for Testing Your Well Water. Nova Scotia Canada: Environment. Retrieved from on March 20, 2016: https://www.novascotia.ca/nse/water/welltips.asp
O’Brien, K. (2009). Responding to climate change: The need for an integral approach. Retrieved May 30, 2009, from http://integrallife.com/files/Integral%20Climate%20Change%20Karen%20OBrien.pdf.
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Page 69 Pedersen, T.L. (1997). Contamination of Water and Soil by Sewage and Water Treatment Sludge. ExtoxNet FAQs. Retrieved March 20, 2016 from: http://extoxnet.orst.edu/faqs/safedrink/sewage.htm
Reed, M. S., Fraser, E. D. G., & Dougill, A. J. (2006). An adaptive learning process for developing and applying sustainability indicators with local communities. Ecological Economics, 59(4), 406-418. doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2005.11.008
Riedy, C. (2009). HOUSEHOLD BEHAVIOR CHANGE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE: An Integral Scan. Journal of Integral Theory & Practice, 4(4).
Scotts. (2015). Lawn Watering Tips - Best Times & Schedules. Scotts. Retrieved from on March 21, 2016: http://en-ca.scotts.com/smg/goART3/Howto/lawn-watering-tips/33800022/12400007/320 00006/18800019
Statistics Canada. (2007). Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data (table). Population and Dwelling Count Highlight Tables. 2006 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-550-XWE2006002. Ottawa. Retrieved from on March 21, 2016: http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/popdwell/Table.cfm?T=301&SR=276&S= 2&O=A&RPP=25&PR=0&CMA=0
University of Victoria, School of Earth & Ocean Sc; British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air P;. (2004). Aquifers of the Capital Regional District.Victoria, B.C. retrieved from on March 20: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wsd/plan_protect_sustain/groundwater/aquifers/aquifers_crd/pd fs/aquif_crd.pdf
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Page 70 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! From!Awareness!to!Action:! A"Strategy"for"Implementing"Groundwater"Protective"Practices" in"the"District"of"Highlands" !
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! " Prepared!by:! Alicia"Fall"V00799548" Paige"Bennett"V00785811" Sarah"Berry"V00733899" Thomas"Cinnamon"V00" " GEOG"371" March,"2016" " "
Page 71 " ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! We!would!like!to!respectfully!acknowledge!that!the!District!of!Highlands,!to!which!this! report!pertains,!is!located!on!the!traditional!and!unceded!territories!of!the"W̱ S Á N E Ć ,! Songhees,!Esquimalt,!and!Malahat!peoples.!! " "
" " 1" Page 72 !
!
Table!of!Contents! Introduction!...... !3" Problem!Statement!...... !3" Background!Material!...... !3" Indigenous"Context"...... "3" Contextualizing"the"Community"...... "3" Community)Demographics)...... )3" Groundwater)Resources)...... )4" Contextualizing"the"Issues"...... "4" Existing)Initiatives)and)Policy)...... )4" Historical)and)Existing)Regional)Concerns)...... )4" Potential)Future)Concerns)...... )5" Strategy!...... !6" Outcome"1:"Awareness"(Appendix"B)"...... "6" Interpersonal)Engagement)...... )7" Accessible)Reference)Materials)...... )7" Outcome"2:"Action"(Appendix"D)"...... "8" Timeline"...... "9" Quantifying"Success"...... "10" Rationale!...... !10" Adaptability"and"Cooperation"...... "10" Diversity"...... "11" Enforcement"...... "11" Water"Sustainability"Act"...... "11" Strengths,!Weaknesses,!&!External!Factors!...... !12" Barriers"to"Success"...... "12" Openings"for"Success"...... "12" Conclusion!...... !12" Work!Cited!...... !13" Appendices!...... !15" " ! " !
" " 2" Page 73 Introduction! Water"quality"and"quantity"related"concerns"in"Canada"primarily"focus"on"surface"waters;" because"groundwater"is"hidden,"it"is"not"always"recognized"or"appreciated"for"its"importance." The"District"of"Highlands"is"unique"from"many"of"its"surrounding"Capital"Regional"District" municipalities"in"the"fact"that"the"majority"of"its"water"resources"are"sourced"from" groundwater"(Golder"Associates,"2012)."Private"wells"promote"a"decentralized"water"system" that"evades"standard"regulation,"and"creates"a"situation"where"water"conservation"is"reliant" on"the"participation"and"cooperation"of"property"owners."Despite"its"independence,"the" district"is"still"subject"to"global"changes,"such"as"climate"change,"population"growth,"and" industrial"development,"which"may"threaten"groundwater"resources"in"the"region."The" existence"of"these"issues"is"known"within"the"Highlands,"but"initiatives"to"promote" preventative"action"to"protect"water"resources"have"not"been"fully"implemented"(Centre"for" Sustainability"Whistler,"2011)."The"District"of"Highlands"has"expressed"interest"in"receiving" outside"input"on"how"to"improve"and"expand"upon"outreach"strategies."The"information"that" follows"will"discuss"and"address"the"unique"challenges"facing"the"Highlands,"and"outline"a" strategy"through"which"the"District"can"work"to"unite"its"citizens,"and"foster"engagement"in" groundwater"conservation"and"protection."
Problem!Statement! The"District"of"Highlands"faces"uncertainty"regarding"the"future"of"its"groundwater"resources" due"to"a"variety"of"factors."To"actively"engage"its"citizens"in"groundwater"protective"practices," the"Highlands"must"implement"a"multi^step"strategy"focused"on"awareness"and"action."This" strategy"must"first"cultivate"conversation"and"awareness"regarding"why"groundwater"in"the" region"is"important"and"must"be"protected,"and"then"catalyze"preventive"and"protective" action."
Background!Material! Indigenous!Context! The"District"of"Highlands"is"located"on"the"traditional"territories"of"the"W̱SÁNEĆ,"Songhees," Esquimalt,"and"Malahat"peoples"(District"of"Highlands,"2013)."Ongoing"treaty"negotiations" involving"the"Malahat"Nation"overlap"some"land"within"the"Highlands,"but"private"property"is" not"on"the"table"for"negotiation"(Egan"&"Place,"2013;"Te’mexw"Treaty"Association,"2016)." Regardless"of"the"fact"that"individual"landowners"(the"target"audience"of"our"strategy)"will"not" be"directly"affected"by"any"negotiations,"it"is"important"to"remain"cognizant"of"this"process," and"create"dialogue"between"all"users"of"local"aquifers,"Indigenous"and"otherwise"(Egan"&" Place,"2013)."" Contextualizing!the!Community! Community!Demographics! The"District"of"Highlands"is"a"small"municipality"Northwest"of"Victoria,"home"to"approximately" 2,120"people"dispersed"across"37km2"(District"of"Highlands,"2013;"Statistics"Canada,"2012)" (Appendix"A)."The"Highlands"is"a"primarily"rural"and"residential"region,"with"roughly"38%"of" the"land"base"is"classified"as"parkland,"and"conservation"covenants"are"common"within"the"
" " 3" Page 74 Highlands"(District"of"Highlands,"2013)."Of"the"approximately"775"housing"units"in"the"region," 95%"are"owned"by"the"inhabitants,"and"the"vast"majority"of"those"who"occupy"these"dwellings" are"small"families"(Statistics"Canada,"2011;"Statistics"Canada,"2012)."The"largest"population" bracket"in"the"area"falls"between"the"ages"of"40"and"64"(Island"Health,"2014)."" !Groundwater!Resources! Domestic"water"users"in"the"Highlands"predominantly"obtain"their"water"supply"through" private"groundwater"wells."The"groundwater"is"drawn"from"the"Highlands’"Aquifer"680,"one" of"the"largest"aquifers"found"within"the"CRD,"spanning"209"km2"(Kenny,"2004)."The"catchment" of"the"aquifer"is"fractured"metamorphic"bedrock,"and"recharge"occurs"mainly"through" infiltration"from"precipitation"events,"in"addition"to"the"infiltration"of"water"from"local"lake," wetlands,"and"tributaries"(Kenny,"2004)."As"a"result,"there"is"significant"seasonal"fluctuation"in" the"level"of"the"water"table"(Golder"Associates,"2012)."The"aquifer"supplies"some"1051"wells" (Kenny,"2004),"635"of"which"are"located"within"the"Highlands"(Golder"Associates,"2009)."" Without"water"meters"it"is"difficult"to"infer"the"rates"of"water"consumption"within"the"region," but"average"water"rates"within"the"Highlands"were"estimated"to"be"566.0m3/day"during"the" winter"months,"and"1326.1m3/per"day"in"the"summer"(Golder"Associates,"2012)."With"an" absence"of"regulatory"control"regarding"both"quantity"and"quality,"some"users"may"consider" their"water"to"be"“free”."This"mentality"often"can"often"lead"residence"to"not"recognize"the" importance"of"water"conservation,"and"be"wary"of"the"implementation"of"water"metering" initiatives"(V."Fletcher,"personal"communication,"March"10,"2016)." Contextualizing!the!Issues! Existing!Initiatives!and!Policy! Due"to"the"region’s"dependence"on"Aquifer"680,"the"District"of"Highlands"has"sought"to"protect" its"water"source"through"a"number"of"initiatives,"which"are"largely"research"based."Reports"or" working"groups"that"place"emphasis"on"the"region’s"water"supply"include:" • The"Groundwater"Protection"Strategy"" • Official"Community"Plan" • Highlands"Integrated"Community"Sustainability"Plan"" • The"Groundwater"Task"Force"(disbanded"in"2014)" • The"Sustainable"Land"Use"Select"Committee"" Historical!and!Existing!Regional!Concerns!
Residential*Wells* One"threat"to"Aquifer"680"is"daily"residential"use.""If"wells"are"poorly"sited,"constructed"and" maintained,"or"left"unused,"they"can"act"as"direct"conduits"for"the"migration"of"contaminants" (HAPPI,"2000)."Preferential"pathways"can"often"form"along"the"outside"of"well"casing"that"are" corroded"or"inadequately"sealed;"this"allows"fertilizers,"bacteria,"pesticides"or"other"materials" to"enter"the"water"supply"(HAPPI,"2000).""
Septic*Systems* In"the"Highlands"septic"systems"are"heavily"depended"on"to"dispose"of"raw"sewage"waste" (Golder"Associates,"2009)."Septic"systems"can"become"a"threat"to"groundwater"quality"if"the" systems"are"poorly"sited,"designed,"constructed"and/or"maintained"(Golder"Associates,"2009)." The"density"of"septic"systems"in"a"region"contributes"to"health"risks"(Withers,"2014)."In"
" " 4" Page 75 addition"these"systems"do"not"have"the"capacity"to"deal"with"deleterious"or"hazardous" substances"that"may"be"improperly"disposed"of"within"them"(e.g."oil,"chemicals," pharmaceuticals)"(Golder"Associates,"2009).""
Residential*Hazardous*Material*Usage* Though"contamination"from"underground"fuel"storage"tanks"(UST)"may"persist"for"some"time" before"any"leakage"is"identified,"the"District"of"Highlands"does"not"maintain"records"of"fuel" tanks"at"private"residences"(Golder"Associates,"2009)."The"byproducts"of"hobby"farming"or" gardening"(such"as"manure,"fertilizers,"or"pesticides)"are"a"potential"threat"to"groundwater" quality,"but"currently"the"ministry"of"Agriculture"asserts"that"the"potential"impact"of"this" practice"is"limited"(Golder"Associates,"2009)."
Commercial*and*Industrial*Outputs* The"most"notable"industrial"sites"that"could"influence"groundwater"within"the"District"of" Highlands"include"(Golder"Associates,"2009):" • The"Highwest"Waste"Management"Facility" ^ The"site’s"historic"and"current"land"uses"create"potential"contaminants" including"metals,"hydrocarbon"parameters,"polycyclic"aromatic"hydrocarbons," and"volatile"organic"compounds"(Golder"Associates,"2009)" • Millstream"Meadows"" ^ Localized"hydrocarbon^contaminated"soil"and"groundwater"due"to"industrial" use"has"been"reported"in"the"past"(Golder"Associates,"2009)" • The"Millstream"Industrial"Park" ^ Historical"groundwater"and"soil"analysis"revealed"contamination"(Golder" Associates,"2009)" • All"Fun"Recreation"Park"automotive"racetrack" ^ there"is"a"high"likelihood"that"on^site"spills"and"leaks"will"consist"of"high" concentrations"of"hazardous"materials"including"fuels,"oils,"automotive"fluids," cleaning"fluids"and"other"chemicals"(Golder"Associates,"2009)" ^ the"site"also"consumes"a"significant"amount"of"groundwater" • Bear"Mountain"Development"" ^ The"golf"course"operates"two"groundwater"wells"during"the"“pumping" season”(~July"to"September)"that"pump"at"average"rates"of"556"m3/day"and"858" m3/day"(Golder"Associates,"2012)" ^ Intensive"chemical"use"for"grounds"maintenance"could"also"threaten" groundwater"quality"(Golder"Associate,"2009)" Potential!Future!Concerns!
Climate*Change* Climate"change"is"an"important"factor"to"consider"when"managing"a"natural"resource"as" variable"as"groundwater"(Green,"2011)."Most"climate"models"strongly"agree"that"precipitation" patterns"in"British"Columbia"will"be"affected"significantly,"and"citizens"will"experience"wetter" winters"and"drier"summers"(Hebda,"1997;"Michalak,"2013)."This"is"important"for"Highlands" residents"to"note,"as"Aquifer"680"is"most"vulnerable"in"late"summer"when"input"(i.e." precipitation)"is"minimal"(Golder"Associates,"2009)."Furthermore,"with"the"onset"of"heavy"rain" in"the"fall,"there"is"a"potential"for"hazardous"materials"that"may"have"built"up"over"the"summer"
" " 5" Page 76 months"(e.g."fertilizer,"pesticides,"manure"etc.)"to"be"flushed"into"water"system"in"high" concentrations"(Golder"Associates,"2009)."
Population*Growth* In"2008,"the"CRD"projected"the"population"of"the"Highlands"to"increase"to"approximately" 3,000"people"by"2038,"and"the"housing"units"to"increase"by"approximately"500"units" (Cityspaces,"2009).""Further"pressure"on"the"aquifer"by"an"influx"of"new"users,"the" infrastructure"they"require"(such"as"wells"and"septic"systems),"and"the"resources"they"use" (such"as"fertilizers"and"pesticides)"may"also"put"impact"the"quantity"and"quality"of"local" groundwater.""
Strategy! There"are"many"threats"to"the"quantity"and"quality"of"groundwater"within"the"District"of" Highlands,"all"of"which"local"residents"should"be"conscious"of."The"Public"Educations"and" Communications"Strategy"found"within"the"Highlands"Groundwater"Protection"Study"lays"out" a"basic"framework"for"how"to"engage"with"the"community"on"issues"surrounding"groundwater" (Golder"Associates,"2012)."We"took"the"basic"goals"found"within"these"strategies,"and"created" a"more"comprehensive,"multi^step"process"to"implement"them."Accomplishing"both"objectives" listed"above"requires"utilizing"different"methods"of"communication"and"engagement."The" strategy"presented"in"the"report"emphasizes"the"need"for"multiple"channels"and"mediums"of" information"dissemination,"such"as"brochures"and"presentations"(Golder"Associates,"2012)." Our"approach"echoes"this"diversity,"recognizing"the"diverse"demographic"of"the"Highlands," and"the"necessity"for"both"online"and"physical"sources"of"information"(V."Fletcher,"personal" communication,"March"10,"2016)."Within"the"scope"of"this"process,"we"recognized"the"desire" for"two"separate,"but"deeply"interconnected"outcomes:" " 1)"AWARENESS" "Creating"interest"and"engagement"with"groundwater"protection"issues" What)can)be)done)to)start)conversations)in)the)Highlands)around)groundwater)and) water)scarcity?" 2)"ACTION" "Creating"momentum"through"increased"awareness"to"encourage"preventative"action" How)can)these)conversations)be)catalyzed)into)taking)action)to)implement)groundwater) protection)practices?) " The!intended!objectives!of!these!outcomes!are!as!follows:" 1.""""Provide"easily"accessible,"interesting,"and"informative"resources"on"groundwater"in"the" Highlands,"and"protective"practices"regarding"its"use"by"residents." 2.""""Offer"engaging"and"effective"groundwater"protection"practices"for"Highlands"residents"to" undertake." 3.""""Foster"a"broader"dialogue"between"residents"and"non^residential"groundwater"users" (such"as"industry,"golf"course…)"regarding"working"together"to"protect"the"quantity"and" quality"of"groundwater"in"the"Highlands"watershed." Outcome!1:!Awareness!(Appendix!B)! In"order"to"catalyze"meaningful"change"and"tangible"action,"we"first"need"to"foster" conversations"around"the"importance"of"groundwater"protection"practices"in"the"Highlands."
" " 6" Page 77 There"is"a"significant"amount"of"information"and"data"surrounding"the"Highlands"watershed," but"not"enough"has"been"done"to"disseminate"it"to"local"residents."Information"which"is" available"online"is"not"engaging,"accessible,"or"instructive."The"first"step"of"our"strategy" involves"making"knowledge"regarding"the"local"watershed"more"easily"available"to"all" residents"of"the"Highlands,"through"a"variety"of"access"methods."" Interpersonal!Engagement!
Interactive*Posters*at*Community*Hubs*(Appendix*C)* Mail"in"the"Highlands"district"is"delivered"to"clustered"community"mailboxes,"where" community"representatives"have"placed"bulletin"boards"(Val"Fletcher,"personal" communication,"March"10,"2016)."These"bulletin"boards"provide"a"central"location"which" community"members"frequent."Placing"interactive"posters"at"these"community"hubs,"which" require"residents"to"consider"their"relationship"with"groundwater,"creates"an"easy" opportunity"to"both"engage"residents"and"gather"information"about"their"concerns"and" interests."
Booths*at*Well*Attended*Events* Having"a"presence"at"well^attended"community"events"is"another"excellent"way"of" disseminating"information"regarding"groundwater"concerns"that"affect"the"community." Examples"of"such"events"include"the"Highland"Farmers"Market,"the"Highlands"Fling"dance,"and" events"that"take"place"at"the"community"centre,"and"could"be"run"by"high"school"volunteers" (see"below),"Sustainable"Land"Use"Select"Committee"members,"or"other"community" volunteers."
Informative*Q+A*Events** Interactive"events"with"experts"such"as"government"representatives,"or"members"of"water" related"initiatives"can"create"an"open"learning"environment"for"community"members"who" want"to"learn"more"about"groundwater"in"the"Highlands."
High*School*Student*Outreach* Within"British"Columbia,"high"school"students"must"complete"a"compulsory"30"hours"of"work" experience"or"volunteering/community"service"(Ministry"of"Education,"2004)."While"the" Highlands"district"does"not"have"its"own"school,"this"practice"would"allow"students"who"reside" in"the"region"to"engage"with"local"issues,"and"complete"this"graduation"requirement."" Proposed"initiatives"within"this"strategy"that"may"lack"resources"provide"excellent" opportunities"for"student"involvement,"such"as"the"design"and"distribution"of"posters," assisting"with"outreach"at"community"events,"or"even"student"created"presentations." Accessible!Reference!Materials!
Water*Quality*&*Quantity*Info** Continuing"existing"groundwater"protection"and"awareness"initiatives"that"the"District"of"the" Highlands"has"undertaken"is"an"important"part"of"our"strategy." Existing"resources"include:" • The"dissemination"of"well"maintenance"resources"with"property"tax"documentation" twice"a"year" • The"diagrams"and"information"present"on"the"Community"Green"Map" • Online"resources"on"the"Highlands"website"such"as"links"to"the"groundwater"study"
" " 7" Page 78 Our"suggestions"for"additions"to"the"resources"available"include:" • Including"a"link"to"groundwater"resources"(such"as"well"management,"water" conservation"tips)"on"the"main"page"of"the"website" • Including"links"which"pertain"specifically"to"groundwater,"such"as"the"Well"Water"and" Groundwater"Stewardship"for"Rural"Areas"website,"or"the"British"Columbia" Groundwater"Association"within"the"‘Resources’"section"of"the"District"website" • Ensuring"physical"copies"of"these"resources,"or"guides"on"where"to"find"them,"are" available"in"community"hot"spots"(such"as"the"community"center,"the"farmers"market," or"near"community"mailboxes)"
NonMResidential*Water*Users*Info** In"addition"to"bringing"awareness"to"groundwater"resources"that"pertain"directly"to"the" Highlands"community,"it"is"also"important"to"engage"residents"with"other"users"of"the"same" aquifer."Industries"that"this"campaign"should"be"directed"towards"are"the"Bear"Mountain" Resort"and"All"Fun"Recreation"because"they"are"the"highest"users"within"the"region"(Golder" Associates,"2012)."Residence"of"Highlands"should"be"made"aware"of"the"commercial"water" users"that"are"benefiting"from"a"high"level"consumption"of"groundwater."An"alternative" campaign"could"be"directed"towards"the"Highwest"Management"Facility"and"the"Millstream" Meadows"due"to"the"high"levels"of"contaminates"associated"at"these"sites"(Golder"Associates," 2012)."This"information"can"be"spread"through"the"use"of"pamphlets"or"infographics" (available"online"and"as"physical"documents)." Outcome!2:!Action!(Appendix!D)! Once"resources"regarding"groundwater"have"become"more"accessible"to"Highlands"residents," and"there"is"a"heightened"awareness"regarding"issues"surrounding"groundwater"protection" practices,"this"momentum"must"culminate"into"residents"making"tangible"change."To"ensure" this"occurs,"our"strategy"provides"several"different"avenues"for"residents"to"take"in"order"to" implement"groundwater"protection"practices."Because"of"the"rationale"discussed"below,"the" initiatives"are"largely"voluntary,"the"expectation"being"that"the"recognition"of"the"importance" of"groundwater"protection"by"individual"residents"will"spark"the"desire"to"engage"in"these" practices."
Well*Monitoring*Initiatives* A"long^term"goal"is"to"implement"a"well"monitoring"program"similar"to"that"which"occurred" during"the"Groundwater"Protection"Study"This"will"allow"residents"to"be"more"informed" regarding"their"well"water"quality."Programs"such"as"WellAware"in"Ontario"provide"training" and"resources"to"allow"for"at"home"testing"of"water"quality,""and"nearby"initiatives"such"as"the" wellSMART"education"program"also"provides"skills"to"well"owners"(Green"Communities" Canada,"2010;"Regional"District"of"Nanaimo,"2016)."Programs"similar"to"this"could"be" implemented"in"the"Highlands,"and"monitoring"groundwater"through"them"could"be"the" responsibility"of"a"co^op"student,"and"used"to"establish"a"baseline"of"water"quality"in"the" region."The"implementation"of"water"meters"on"homes"would"be"ideal"to"allow"for"monitoring" of"water"consumption,"but"this"initiative"is"both"expensive"and"unpopular"with"residents."The" local"community"should"be"engaged"to"involve"in"order"to"save"to"save"the"large"cost"of"having" to"install"new"wells"for"monitoring,"through"use"of"existing"owner^volunteered"wells."
" " 8" Page 79 Workshops*for*Relevant*Skills* Similar"to"the"well"maintenance"and"monitoring"programs"listed"above,"local"groups"and" experts"who"focus"on"water"conservation"could"provide"workshops"and"tutorials"tailored"to" rural"water"users."The"Regional"District"of"Nanaimo"again"offers"great"examples"of"such" events,"including"pesticide"free"gardening,"rainwater"harvesting,"along"with"the"wellSMART" workshops"on"well"maintenance"and"operation."There"are"many"groups"on"the"Island," including"the"CRD,"who"can"offer"their"expertise"to"the"residents"of"the"Highlands."Nearby" property"owners,"such"as"the"individuals"who"run"Eco^Sense,"a"low^impact,"permaculture" based"property"within"the"Highlands,"are"also"excellent"resources"for"this"initiative."A"wide" variety"of"hands^on"workshops"and"tutorials"will"be"provided"to"appeal"to"a"broad"audience." These"events"would"differ"from"the"Q&A"sessions"mentioned"in"Outcome"1,"as"they"would"be" instructive"and"skill"building,"rather"than"simply"informative."
Online*Knowledge*Sharing*Interactive*Database*(Appendix*E)* In"addition"to"providing"community"members"with"resources,"this"strategy"will"also"provide"a" way"for"residents"to"share"their"knowledge."An"online"interactive"database,"in"the"form"of"a" community^mapping"project,"allows"Highlands"residents"to"share"information"and"data,"along" with"personal"stories"and"photos"about"the"region.!Creating"a"resource"like"this"will"ensure" that"groundwater"protective"practices"in"the"Highlands"are"constructed"as"a"self^sustaining" community"initiative."Google"Maps"allows"for"the"easy"creation"of"a"user"friendly,"interactive" resource"like"the"one"described"above."Examples"of"content"that"could"be"added"include:" • Examples"of"water"conservation"practices"in"action"(rain"gardens,"rain"barrels,"low" flow"fixtures)" • Data"regarding"sites"of"water"contamination"(individual"wells)" • Photos"and"anecdotes"from"community"events"focused"on"water" Letter*Writing*Campaign*to*NonMResidential*Water*Users*(Appendix*F)* In"addition"to"focusing"on"groundwater"protective"practices"that"residents"can"undertake,"it"is" important"for"Highlands"residents"to"engage"with"non^residential"groundwater"users"in"the" region,"such"as"the"Bear"Mountain"Golf"Course."Those"implementing"the"strategy"can"provide" community"members"with"templates"and"contact"information"to"share"their"comments"and/or" concerns"with"fellow"users"of"the"watershed."
Third*Party*Partnerships* There"are"many"existing"initiatives"on"Vancouver"Island"who"could"be"involved"in" groundwater"protection"planning"in"the"Highlands."Creating"these"partnerships"can" compensate"for"the"lack"of"resources"present"within"the"immediate"community,"and"foster" connections"and"community"among"water"users"on"Vancouver"Island."Examples"of"groups" who"provide"relevant"outreach"initiatives"include:" • Tap^by^Tap"Initiative"(City"Green):"providing"free"water"saving"kits"(including"high" efficiency"showerheads,"faucet"aerators,"shower"timers,"etc)" • CRD"initiatives"such"as"Septic"Savy"workshops" Timeline! The"timeline"of"this"strategy"is"fairly"flexible,"largely"because"of"the"limitations"in"resources" and"budget."We"have"created"a"suggested"timeline,"but"recognize"there"may"be"constraints"in" its"execution."If"working"within"a"calendar"year,"Outcome"1"should"be"prioritized"from"October" to"April."This"allows"for"a"significant"period"of"time"in"which"interest"and"dialogue"can"be"
" " 9" Page 80 fostered"within"the"community."During"summer"months,"from"May"to"September,"Outcome"2" can"be"the"focus"of"those"implementing"the"strategy."This"ensures"high"school"students"who" are"participating"in"outreach"strategies"have"time"to"contribute,"as"they"will"not"be"in"class."In" addition,"summer"weather"allows"for"more"community"events"to"occur"outside."This"timeline" is"also"strategic"in"that"summer"months"are"when"Highlands"residents"experience"the"most" stress"on"their"water"resources"which"impact"them"directly"(Golder"Associates,"2012)." Offering"water"protection"initiatives"when"risks"to"groundwater"are"so"tangible"may"lead"to" increased"engagement"with"our"strategy."The"letter"writing"campaign"comes"as"a"last"step"in" the"strategy,"as"a"form"of"outreach"once"Highlands"residents"have"undertaken"individual" groundwater"protective"practices." " Even"though"we"have"created"a"structured"timeline,"it"is"by"no"means"binding."Informative" resources"should"remain"accessible"throughout,"and"long"after"the"yearlong"strategy"outlined" within"this"document."Popular"workshops,"tutorials,"and"other"events"should"be"offered" repeatedly,"as"community"resources"allow." Quantifying!Success! It"is"difficult"to"quantify"the"success"of"these"initiatives,"because"there"are"so"few"monitoring" resources"available"within"the"Highlands"(such"as"meters)."Therefore,"decisions"regarding"the" success"of"these"initiatives"will"largely"be"based"on"subjective"observations"of"community" engagement."Documenting"attendance"at"workshops"and"community"events,"as"well"as" counting"hits"on"online"resources"are"both"ways"to"measure"this."Another"way"to"garner" feedback"and"outcomes"of"the"strategy"would"be"to"send"out"a"survey"after"it"has"been" underway"for"sometime"(Appendix"G)."The"survey"could"ask"residents"if"they"were"aware"of" the"campaigns,"if/how"they"engaged"in"it,"and"request"their"constructive"feedback"on" initiatives"undertaken."An"obvious"limitation"of"this"approach"is"that"it"would"be"optional."
Rationale! Adaptability!and!Cooperation! Our"strategy"aligns"with"the"recommendations"of"the"Golder"Report,"the"Highlands"Official" Community"Plan,"CRD"priorities,"as"well"as"provincial"plans"with"the"new"Water"Sustainability" Act."There"is"room"within"the"strategy"for"adaption"in"order"to"respond"and"learn"along"with" the"community"and"stakeholder"groups"about"how"to"best"approach"the"engagement"of" citizens."In"addition,"our"strategy"calls"for"collaboration"with"community"organizations"and" reaching"out"to"already"established"institutions"and"initiatives."If"the"Highlands"hopes"to" implement"the"Public"Education"and"Communications"Strategy,"and"move"towards"improved" water"quality"and"quantity,"the"first"step"involves"the"community"understanding"of"the"role" they"play"in"either"positively"or"negatively"affecting"the"quality"and"quantity"of"their" groundwater"supply."This"is"why"we"suggest"four"different"methods"of"interpersonal" engagement"as"well"as"detailed"and"accessible"reference"materials,"to"try"to"bring"awareness" to"as"wide"an"audience"as"possible"and"taking"into"account"the"demographic"range"of"the"area." In"addition"to"communicating"what"the"issues"are,"and"why"residents"in"the"Highlands"should" care,"it"is"important"to"provide"tangible"solutions"for"residents"to"take"action."This"is"why"we" recommend"a"variety"of"ways"through"which"community"can"get"involved,"learn"and"ask" questions"about"what"they"can"do"at"home.""We"also"recommend"engaging"people"in"
" " 10" Page 81 opportunities"for"stewardship"and"provisioning"of"incentives"for"all"members"of"the"District," individually"and"collectively."" Diversity! The"Highlands"is"a"diverse"mix"of"young"families"and"an"aging"population,"and"for"this"reason"a" wide"variety"of"resources"is"needed"to"match"the"variety"in"demographics"(Statistics"Canada," 2012)."This"is"why"we"chose"to"offer"different"approaches"to"our"strategy,"which"also"cater"to" different"personality"types,"through"both"online"and"personal"interactions."Introverts,"and" tech"savvy"youth,"may"choose"online"resources,"such"as"online"data"or"the"community"map," while"extroverts"and"those"who"are"not"technologically"inclined"may"choose"workshops"and" town"hall"meetings"(Brownson"&"Harriman,"2002;"Palott,"2001)." Enforcement! It"is"important"to"note"that"our"strategy"does"not"involve"or"coincide"with"any"legislation"or" prescriptive"policy."This"was"intentional,"and"this"approach"was"taken"for"a"number"of" reasons."It"is"largely"due"to"limited"resources"including"the"lack"of"jurisdictional"responsibility" the"District"has"over"water,"the"financial"restrictions"of"this"project,"and"human"capacity" restrictions."Additionally,"legal"enforcement"likely"would"not"be"well"received"by"the" community;"Val"Fletcher"asserted"this"in"conversation,"suggesting"many"people"move"to"this" region"to"get"away"from"the"restrictions"and"expectations"found"in"urban"centers"(V."Fletcher," personal"communication,"March"10,"2016)."There"is"already"resistance"and"pushback"against" being"told"what"to"do,"even"regarding"guidelines"for"the"size"of"wells"and"well"distance"from" septic"tanks"(V."Fletcher,"personal"communication,"March"10,"2016)."Therefore,"we"believe" that"the"most"effective"strategy"will"clearly"communicate"to"citizens"why"they"should"care,"and" foster"ground"up"support,"rather"than"imposing"top"down"mandates"(Brown"&"Keast,"2003;" Head,"2007)."The"methods"we"propose"involve"education"on"current"and"projected"issues,"and" bringing"awareness"to"the"community"on"the"connectivity"of"their"land"and"water"uses."" Water!Sustainability!Act! Although"BC’s"new"Water"Sustainability"Act"(WSA)"brings"many"changes"to"the"management" of"water,"and"includes"groundwater"for"the"first"time,"it"is"unclear"how"this"will"affect" domestic"groundwater"users."Residents"in"the"Highlands"are"currently"not"affected"by"the" addition"of"groundwater"licensing."Domestic"users"will"only"have"to"get"a"license"if"local"plans" require."However,"they"are"encouraged"to"register"their"wells"in"the"provincial"database"on" wells"(Brandes,"Carr^Wilson,"Curran,"&"Simms,"2015)."The"purpose"of"this"is"to"be"able"to" consider"the"effects"of"non^domestic"users"on"domestic"uses"(Brandes"et"al.,"2015)." Considering"the"area"coverage"and"multiple"users"drawing"from"Aquifer"680"well"registration" this"may"be"something"the"Highlands"promotes."The"WSA"will"license"and"apply"pricing"to" non^domestic"groundwater"users,"so"the"golf"course"and"industry"will"likely"within"the"next" three"years"apply"for"a"license."This"is"why"a"letter"writing"campaign"is"important"to" encourage"the"Westin"Bear"Mountain"to"take"a"responsible"approach"to"managing"water."
" " 11" Page 82 Strengths,!Weaknesses,!&!External!Factors! Barriers!to!Success! Firstly,"the"Highlands"District"is"not"a"water"purveyor"and"therefore"has"no"jurisdiction"to" implement"the"operational"tools"such"as"water"metering,"nor"the"economic"tools"such"as"rate" structures"or"pricing"policies"(Golder"Associates,"2012)."Not"having"the"ability"to"require" water"meters"makes"it"difficult"to"control"and"monitor"the"water"quality"and"quantity"of" residence"and"industry"in"the"Highlands"District."It"also"makes"it"difficult"to"quantify"the" success"of"our"strategy."No"province"financially"supports"well"performance"monitoring"and" therefore"is"left"up"to"the"residents"to"front"the"cost"(Trajan"&"Wendling,"2011)."As"well,"there" is"no"support"for"designing"and"constructing"wells"and"there"is"a"major"lack"in"specific" education,"technical"assistance"and"monitoring"throughout"communities"in"each"province" (Trajan"&"Wendling,"2011)."These"factors"were"attempted"to"be"addressed"in"our"strategy"in" the"Highlands"but"without"means"of"financial"assistance"to"residence"we"focused"our"attention" to"developing"incentives"for"residents"to"privately"invest"in"design,"construction,"treatment," monitoring"and"maintenance"through"our"education"programs"at"community"events,"local" schools,"database"sharing,"website"updates"and"free"workshops." Openings!for!Success! Firstly,"the"Highlands"District"does"have"the"tools"to"communicate"the"strategy."As"stated"in" our"strategy,"they"already"have"a"wealth"of"detailed"information"on"groundwater"and"the" action"plan"they"wish"to"implement"on"the"Highlands"District"Website."Having"information"on" the"website"makes"the"information"easily"accessible"to"residence"with"computers"and" internet."This"is"one"method"of"how"our"strategy"will"be"implemented."Secondly,"there"are"still" many"volunteers"who"are"very"active"in"the"community"and"are"enthusiastic"about" groundwater"protection."These"volunteers"will"be"momentous"in"initiating"our"strategy"to"the" Highlands"community."Some"of"these"volunteers"are"already"experts"in"groundwater," education"and"policy"(V."Fletcher,"personal"communication,"March"10,"2016)."Thirdly,"through" our"research"we"have"found"that"many"communities"on"Vancouver"Island"and"throughout" Canada"who"are"also"very"interested"in"how"to"educate"and"protect"groundwater"within"their" communities."With"this"movement"we"found"it"easy"to"access"data"and"strategies"of"other" communities"who"are"also"working"to"implement"education"plans"to"their"residents,"as"this"is" an"important"issue"that"should"be"addressed"to"all"communities"on"the"Island"and"within" Canada."
Conclusion! Our"proposed"strategy"utilizes"an"approach"based"on"community"education"and"engagement." In"a"region"like"the"District"of"Highlands,"the"long^term"health"and"sustainability"of"local" aquifers"is"dependent"upon"individuals"taking"responsibility"over"their"water"management" practices,"in"order"to"catalyze"collective"community"stewardship"of"their"water"source." Creating"conversations"around"groundwater"quality"and"quantity"encourages"Highlands" residents"to"come"together"and"catalyze"meaningful"change"to"address"these"issues." Awareness"and"action"initiatives"allow"for"recognition"of"linkages"between"what"happens"at" the"surface,"below"the"surface,"on"residential"properties,"and"within"the"broader"environment." " "
" " 12" Page 83 Work!Cited!
Brandes,"O."M.,"Carr^Wilson,"S.,"Curran,"D.,"&"Simms,"R."(2015,"November)"Awash)With) Opportunity:)Ensuring)the)Sustainability)of)British)Columbia’s)New)Water)Law."Retrieved" on"March"5,"2016"from"http://poliswaterproject.org/awashwithopportunity" " Brown,"K.,"&"Keast,"R."(2003)."Citizen^government"engagement:"community"connection" through"networked"arrangements."Asian)Journal)of)Public)Administration,"25(1),"107^ 131." " Brownson,"K.,"&"Harriman,"R."L."(2002)."Online"degrees:"a"convenient"alternative"for"health" care"professionals."The)health)care)manager,"21(2),"36^45." " Centre"for"Sustainability"Whistler."(2011,"October)."Sustainable"Highlands,"District"of" Highlands"Integrated"Community"Sustainability"Plan."Retrieved"March"1,"2016"from" http://www.whistlercentre.ca/project/highlands^icsp/" " CitySpaces"(2009,"August)"A)Context)for)Change)Management)in)the)Capital)Regional)District,) Changing)People)in)a)Changing)Region:)Future)Population,)Labour)Force,)Employment)and) Housing)in)the)Capital)Regional)District."Cityspaces"Consulting"Ltd"and"Urban"Futures"Inc."" " District"of"Highlands."(2013,"November)."District"of"Highlands"Official"Community"Plan" Schedule"A"to"Bylaw"No."277."Retrieved"March"20,"2016,"from" http://bchighlands.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/4080" " Egan,"B.,"&"Place,"J."(2013)."Minding"the"gaps:"Property,"geography,"and"Indigenous"peoples"in" Canada."Geoforum,"44,"129^138." " Golder"Associates"Ltd."(2009)"Phase)2:)Groundwater)Protection)Study)District)of)Highlands,) District)of)Highlands,)Victoria,)BC."20"February,"2016.""" " Golder"Associates"Ltd."(2012)"Phase)3:)Groundwater)Protection)Study)District)of)Highlands,) District)of)Highlands,)Victoria,)BC."20"February,"2016.""" " Green,"T."R.,"Taniguchi,"M.,"Kooi,"H.,"Gurdak,"J."J.,"Allen,"D."M.,"Hiscock,"K."M.,"..."&"Aureli,"A." (2011)."Beneath"the"surface"of"global"change:"Impacts"of"climate"change"on" groundwater."Journal)of)Hydrology,"405(3),"532^560." " Green"Communities"Canada."(2010)."Well"Aware"|"Home."Retrieved"March"21,"2016,"from" http://www.wellaware.ca/" " Harter,"Thomas"(2003)."Water)well)design)and)construction."UCANR"Publications." " HAPPI,"Hawaii’s"Pollution"Prevention"Information"(2000)."Drinking"Water"Wells."College"of" Tropical"Agriculture"and"Human"Resources,"University"of"Hawaii"at"Manoa."" "
" " 13" Page 84 Head,"B."W."(2007)."Community"engagement:"participation"on"whose"terms?."Australian) Journal)of)Political)Science,"42(3),"441^454." " Hebda,"Richard"J."(1997)""Impact"of"climate"change"on"biogeoclimatic"zones"of"British" Columbia"and"Yukon.""Responding)to)global)climate)change)in)British)Columbia)and) Yukon"1.1." " Island"Health"(2014)."BC"community"Health"Profile,"BC"healthy"Families."Provincial"Health" Services"Authority."" " Kenny,"S."(2004)."Aquifers)of)the)Capital)Regional)District."Ministry"of"Water,"Land"and"Air" Protection." " Michalak,"J,,"Withey"C.,"&"Lawler"J.L."(2013)."""Climate"adaptation"planning"for"British" Columbia"provincial"parks.""Prepared)for)North)Pacific)Landscape)Conservation) Cooperative.)University)of)Washington,)Seattle,)WA) " Ministry"of"Education."(2004)."Work"Experience"or"Community"Service"Requirement"for" Graduation"^"Province"of"British"Columbia."Retrieved"March"19,"2016,"from" http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education^training/administration/legislation^ policy/public^schools/work^experience^or^community^service^requirement^for^ graduation" " Palloff,"R."M."&"Pratt,"K."(2001)."Lessons"from"the"Cyberspace"Classroom:"The"Realities"of" Online"Teaching"(pp."7^124)"San"Francisco,"CA:"Jossey^Bass,"Inc."" " Regional"District"of"Nanaimo."(2016)."wellSMART."Retrieved"March"25,"2016,"from" http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=2284" " Statistic"Canada"(2011)."Total"Household"type,"Highlands"DM"2011"National"Household" Survey:"Data"Tables."" " Statistics"Canada."(2012)."Highlands,)British)Columbia)(Code)5917049))and)Capital,)British) Columbia)(Code)5917)"(table)."Census)Profile."2011"Census."Statistics"Canada"Catalogue" no."98^316^XWE."Ottawa."" " Trajan,"K,"&"Wendling,"G."(2011,"May)"The)Sustainable)Water)Well)Initiative)Business)Case) Report."GW)Solutions."Agriculture"and"Agri^Food"Canada." " Te’mexw"Treaty"Association."(2016)."Te’mexw"Treaty"Association"|"Proudly"serving"our" Nations."Retrieved"March"17,"2016,"from"http://www.temexw.org/" " Withers,"Paul"J.A.,"et"al."(2014).""Do"septic"tank"systems"pose"a"hidden"threat"to"water" quality?""Frontiers)in)Ecology)and)the)Environment"12.2:"123^130." "
" !
" " 14" Page 85 Appendices!! " Appendix"A:"Map"of"the"Highlands""
" District"of"Highlands."(n.d.)."About"Highlands."Retrieved"March"23,"2016,"from:" http://highlands.bc.ca/179/About^Highlands" "
" " 15" Page 86 !..'041P"ES"=/+57:&%$"J0$&1/10("K3$7+-'"F"#$%&$'()" " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " "
Page 87 " " FO" !..'041P"IS",0$'%&7$18'"6+9$'%9
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Page 88 " " F@" !..'041P"IS",0$'%&7$18'"6+9$'%9"T7+0$QU
" " " Page 89 " " FD" !..'041P";S"=/+57:&%$"J0$&1/10("K3$7+-'"N"#$%&$'()" "
&-,.$*!
K0/10'"c0+5/'4('" g'$$'%"X%1$10(" X'//"L+01$+%10(" X+%]9:+.9"*+%" #:&%10(" I&-.&1(0"$+"_+0^ H:1%4"6&%$)" ,01$1&$18'9" ['/'8&0$"#]1//9" ,0$'%&7$18'" ['914'0$1&/"X&$'%" 6&%$0'%9:1.9" ;&$&W&9'" h9'%9"
" " "
Page 90 " " FA" Appendix"E:"Online"Knowledge"Sharing"Interactive"Database"(screenshot"of"an"example" created"using"Google"Maps)" "
" " " " "
" " 20" Page 91 Appendix"F:"Example"of"form"letter"for"Letter"Writing"Campaign"to"Non^Residential"Water" Users" " The"Westin"Bear"Mountain"Golf"Resort"&"Spa,"Victoria" 1999"Country"Club"Way" Victoria,"BC" V9B"6R3" [email protected]" " Dear"Westin"Bear"Mountain"Golf"Resort"&"Spa,"" " I"am"a"resident"of"the"District"of"Highlands,"and"am"contacting"you"regarding"the"issue" of"groundwater"usage"at"your"business."Groundwater"is"a"non^renewal"resource"and"we"are" worried"about"the"amount"of"water"your"facility"is"consuming."The"Highlands"District"has" been"working"rigorously"to"educate"the"residents"in"the"Highlands"community"on"the"water" quality"and"quantity"used"from"their"personal"groundwater"wells."" Initiatives"I"have"personally"undertaken"include:" " " " Groundwater"is"a"resource"that"we"all"share,"and"thus"we"must"all"do"our"part"to"protect"its" quality"and"quantity"within"this"region."We"hope"to"work"with"you"to"begin"a"conversation" regarding"how"to"create"a"sustainable"and"efficient"strategy"around"the"water"usage"at"The" Westin"Bear"Mountain"Golf"Resort"&"Spa."" " I"look"forward"to"hearing"from"you"soon."" Sincerely,"" " " " John"Doe"^"A"Resident"of"The"Highlands" " "
" " 21" Page 92 Appendix"G:"Example"survey"for"quantifying"success"of"this"strategy"(created"using" surveymonkey.com)" "
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" " 22" Page 93 "
" " 23" Page 94