[All] Fw: Water is the low hanging fruit for Climate Action & cost savings.

Wed Oct 21 10:30:15 EDT 2015

Just emailed this one.
Lulu 
    ----- Forwarded Message -----
  From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
 To: Minister MOECC (MOECC) <minister.moecc at ontario.ca>; "premier at ontario.ca" <premier at ontario.ca>; DionStéphane [NCR] <stephane.dion at parl.gc.ca>; Francis Scarpaleggia <francis.scarpaleggia at parl.gc.ca> 
 Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2015 10:29 AM
 Subject: Water is the low hanging fruit for Climate Action & cost savings.

With climate talks quickly approaching I want to support water conservation as one of the top ways Canada can take action to can reduce it's emissions. 
Currently the biggest water user in Canada is the energy sector. Alarming volumes of water are being used for cooling, steam and to turn turbines. Much of this is bound to coal, nuclear and fossil fuel sectors. 
Source: https://www.ec.gc.ca/indicateurs-indicators/default.asp?lang=en&n=5736C951-1
Of all the developed nations, Canada squanders the most per person because water is priced too cheap and we lack policies to conserve it. We rank number 15 out of 16 in the world for per capita use and the US is number 16. 
Source: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/environment/water-consumption.aspx?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

Water treatment and transportation is the man use of energy for municipalities. The less we use, the more we reduce emissions. One of the best examples of municipal water conservation strategies in action is Okotoks, AB who has achieved one of the lowest per capita gross water consumption rates in North America. 
Source: http://www.fcm.ca/home/awards/fcm-sustainable-communities-awards/2015-winners/2015-water-program.htm
With the new Prime Minister and Federal push to improve water quality on First Nations, we should all make sure that water conservation becomes a top priority on how these new systems are built and managed to help reduce the long term costs for these communities. 
There are economic benefits for companies who apply water saving strategies but unless water is priced right, there is little motivation to actually do it. If we adjust water pricing It creates that incentive and it will save tax dollars for all taxpayers while giving stronger protection for the water resources we all need to support communities, growth, agriculture and long term economic stability while reducing overall emissions. 
We need to new standards to mandate water efficiency by way of policy via building codes and industrial use and the kind of products we allow for sale. Right now there is no need to still allow the sale of new toilets that flush 12 litres every flush and simple devices like water aerators should be mandatory by law for every new home and for all new taps sold nation wide. These are simple policy changes that won't overburden consumers. These solutions already exist and are widely distributed but now we need teeth to our laws to mandate their use. 
In the attachments are a couple of quick graphs to illustrate how outrageous water wasting actually is right now in Canada. In my view water conservation is the lowest hanging fruit we have to reduce both emissions and to foster climate resiliency while saving municipalities tonnes of money in water treatment and transportation costs. 

Thank you kindly for your time. 
Louisette Lanteigne700 Star Flower Ave.Waterloo ONN2V 2L2

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