Action for Water is a proposed new service for the RDN Electoral Areas focused on providing improved management and increased security of ground and surface water resources. This proposed service area must be approved by the electorate in order to provide the legal basis and funding required to allow the Action for Water program to proceed.

There will be a referendum on the establishment of the proposed service area on November 15th as part of the Local Government Elections.

Population growth in the region along with existing land uses continues to put pressure on ground and surface water sources which impacts our watersheds and drinking water. These impacts have already led to negative changes in many watersheds and reduced and or contaminated ground water sources in a number of areas throughout the region.

The Action for Water program was created over the last year to help address issues associated with impacts on the region’s water resources and to improve our approach to land use that would then assist in reducing further degradation. This was done with the help and guidance of a committee representing a variety of region-wide interests including Electoral Areas residents BC Ministry of Environment, the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the Islands Trust, local well drillers, forestry interests and conservation groups.

The Action for Water program is focused on the 5 major actions detailed below.

Action Plan Overview - The 5 Major Actions

The Plan consists of actions aimed at:
Improving Awareness of our valuable water resources
Understanding Risks that threaten these resources
Reducing Risks through better planning and decision-making
Using Wisely to sustain water supplies for years to come
Healthy Water with reduced risk of contamination

Information on the November 15 Referendum

To make Action for Water a reality, the RDN needs to adopt a new service to coordinate a Region-based drinking water and watershed protection action plan. On November 15th residents within the 7 Electoral areas will be asked the following question.
"Are you in favour of the adoption of "Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1556, 2008" which, if enacted, would establish a drinking water and watershed protection function in Electoral Areas A, B, C, E, F, G and H for the purpose of the protection of sources of drinking water and watersheds within the electoral areas?"

With the support of the electorate the service will move forward. Should the referendum not receive the approval of the electorate for the proposed service area and Action for Water Program no funding will be available for drinking water and watershed protection in the electoral areas.


Frequently Asked Questions

This series of questions and answers helps to outline the background information that Electoral Area voters may need to help them decide how to vote on the referendum question that will be asked on November 15th. If you wish to discuss this information or have additional questions please call the RDN's Environmental Services Dept at 250-390-6560 (Nanaimo area) or 1-877-604-4111 or email us at envsrvrdn.bc.ca.

Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Action Plan Report
Here on the "wet coast" of British Columbia, one might take a safe, sufficient supply of water for granted. That is a precarious assumption. The quantity and quality of surface and groundwater are affected directly by human activity, whether that is land development, resource extraction, water consumption or discharge of pollutants. All of these activities are on the rise in the Nanaimo Regional District (the Region). The resulting changes to quantity and quality of water can impact the health of the Region’s ecosystems as well as the social and economic stability of the Region.