Drinking Water & Watershed Protection Program
The RDN’s Drinking Water Watershed Protection Program is learning more about water in the Region through collaboration with local environmental groups, government agencies, municipalities and residents. Our work includes elements of watershed planning to reduce the impacts of population growth and climate change, a limited well testing program, community outreach, and development of comprehensive water resource data. This important region-wide program is assisting the RDN Board in making well-informed land use decisions that protect our environment.In January, 2009 the RDN became the first government in BC to establish a service for Drinking Water Protection, following support from electoral area residents in a Nov. 15, 2008 referendum. As of this year, 2012, the service area has expanded to include all the municipalities: the City of Nanaimo, the District of Lantzville, the City of Parksville and the Town of Qualicum Beach.
 |
Why Should I Care About Watershed Protection?
We all live in a watershed. Watersheds are places we call home. A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and where water flows downward into a specific river, stream, lake, or aquifer (water in the ground). Think about your local creek, river, or stream. Where does it come from? What type of landscapes does it pass through? Where does the water in your backyard go? All of the area covered is your watershed. To learn more about how watersheds and aquifers work, visit Watersheds and Aquifers 101. To learn more about your watershed, visit RDN Watersheds.
|
||
 |
Why Do We Need a DWWP Program? The quality and amount of water in the ground and in our rivers is directly affected by what we do on the land. Land development, resource extraction, water consumption, and discharge of pollutants all affect water and are on the rise in the RDN. We have already seen negative changes in many areas. This not only affects the health of our local ecosystems but also the social and economic stability of the Region. Land use planning and development standards cannot be effectively modified without a clear understanding of our water resources, where they are changing, and why. Watch this short video to learn more.
|
||
 |
What have we been doing?
The RDN has been working with local environmental groups, government agencies, and residents to learn more about water and protect it. Click here to learn about these activities. In 2010, we asked local residents and professionals to tell us their concerns with water and what they thought the RDN should do. The Watershed Snapshot Report 2010 explains what we found and what the RDN will be doing in each watershed area over the next several years. The DWWP Program is guided by an Action Plan that was developed in 2006 with a steering committee representing a variety or Region-wide interests.
|
||
 |
RDN Watersheds
The RDN can be divided into 7 major watershed areas. In these watershed areas there are also sub watersheds. Find your area and select it below to learn more: |
||
 |
What Can I Do?
The activities we do every day, affect the quality and supply of our water. To learn more about how we can all protect water, visit TeamWaterSmart.ca.
|
||
 |
Do You Live in an RDN Water Service Area?
For information on water quality tests by community, watering restrictions, billing and more, visit our Water Services page.
|
