Climate change, conservation top priorities for updated B.C. water act

VANCOUVER – The province of British Columbia has unveiled some major changes in an updated version of the province’s century-old water rules.

The new Water Sustainability Act would make B.C. the last province in Canada to start regulating groundwater.

That means large-scale users, such as the Nestle water bottling plant in Hope, B.C., will now have to pay for the millions of litres of water they bottle for sale annually.

The new rules also try to address the increased risk of drought in B.C. brought on by climate change.

Another priority for government is ecological and watershed protection.

The province is looking for public comment on the new rules over the next four weeks, and the legislation is expected to be approved next year.