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The B.C. government has officially embarked on a process of modernizing B.C.’s Water Act with the launch of the Living Water Smart blog, Environment Minister Barry Penner announced recently.

"Water defines British Columbia, and over the next 25 years we expect B.C.’s population to grow by another 1.4 million people," said Penner. "Our water will have to go a lot further without compromising nature’s needs. The Living Water Smart blog is an interactive way to encourage open dialogue on this important topic. Together, we can determine the steps we must take to protect our water both for today and the future."

The existing Water Act was established in 1909 and is the Province’s primary water management legislation. The B.C. government recognizes that the social context the Water Act was built upon was very different 100 years ago than it is today. The launch of the Living Water Smart blog is another step toward fulfilling the government’s promise to modernize the Act to make it more applicable to the needs of today and tomorrow. A key initial element of this process is to educate British Columbians about B.C.’s Water Plan and about water usage in our province. The blog will also reach out to residents and receive their ideas on how best to manage B.C.’s most important natural resource. To make a comment or post a question on the new Living Water Smart blog, go to http://blog.gov.bc.ca/livingwatersmart/.

"B.C.’s growing communities, environment and economy need a plentiful amount of clean water," said John Slater, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen and Parliamentary Secretary for Water Supply and Allocation. "We can’t take water for granted anymore and that is why we are opening up the dialogue with the public, First Nations and our stakeholders." Living Water Smart: B.C.’s Water Plan (www.livingwatersmart.ca) outlines the B.C. government’s vision and plan to keep B.C.’s water healthy and secure for the future. The plan uses a variety of measures including planning, regulatory change, education and incentives to ensure B.C.’s water resources are protected and sustainable. One-third of the 45 actions in the plan either require legislative change or would be strengthened with changes to water laws. - 2 -

Open dialogue on the Water Act modernization will continue through the winter and spring. Legislative proposal development is slated for summer/fall 2010, and bill introduction to the B.C. Legislature is planned for spring 2011.