Water System Risk Management Plan (WSRMP)
Engineers and Geoscientists BC, with financial support from the BC Ministry of Health and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, has developed interim Professional Practice Guidelines for the Preparation of One Water System Risk Management Plans (WSRMP) in British Columbia. These professional practice guidelines have been developed between professionals across communities in British Columbia, water industry associations, and provincial Ministries, to promote the application of a One Water lens to water management in BC. These guidelines will support the development of comprehensive Water System Risk Management Plans, which will:
- Provide engineers and geoscientists guidance related to water system risk management planning;
- Prioritize risks and identify recommended actions and opportunities to deliver consistent levels of service, focus finances where most needed, and strategically communicate with decision makers, regulators, the public, and other water users; and
- Enhance the resilience of infrastructure and ecosystems in BC.
While these guidelines have been written for Engineers and Geoscientists BC registrants, they can also inform others working in the water sector, including water utility staff and operators, community staff, and public health authorities and officials. WSRMPs can be developed proactively in recognition of the need for an integrated approach to address water quality or quantity issues, aging and/or inadequate infrastructure, climate resiliency, and to protect ecosystems from degradation.
A public-facing Planning Guide has been developed for communities applying a One Water lens to managing water system risks and is intended to serve as a stand-alone resource that is complementary to the Professional Practice Guidelines.
Harshan Radhakrishnan, P.Eng., Engineers and Geoscientists BC
Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability Initiatives
Email: [email protected]
| Organization | Resource |
|---|---|
| Engineers and Geoscientists BC | One Water System Risk Management Planning Guide (2024) The Planning Guide is a resource designed to help water service providers introduce the concept of One Water System Risk Management into their community. It provides tools to understand how the concept can be applied to water systems and start the risk assessment process. It is a stand-alone, public-facing companion document to the Interim Professional Practice Guidelines – Guidelines for the Preparation of One Water System Risk Management Plans in British Columbia (2024). The Screening Tool provided with the Planning Guide may be completed after scoping the community's water systems. It will help identify whether a One Water System Risk Management Plan is needed to effectively identify, analyze, evaluate, and prioritize risks facing the community's water systems. |
| Engineers and Geoscientists BC | Interim Professional Practice Guidelines – Guidelines for the Preparation of One Water System Risk Management Plans in British Columbia (2024) These guidelines were developed by Engineers and Geoscientists BC to guide professional practice related to managing a community's enterprise-level water system risks. They recommend using a One Water approach, which encompasses the entire water system, from source to tap and sink to watershed. BC’s water systems are critical pieces of our ecosystems and community infrastructure, which contribute to a high quality of public and environmental health. However, these water systems face many challenges (including climate change). Through a recognition that these risks cannot be managed in isolation, the One Water System Risk Management Plan concept was developed by professionals across communities in BC, water industry associations, and provincial Ministries to determine how to address these challenges related to water systems. |
| Engineers and Geoscientists BC | What We Heard Report – Round Two Consultation (2023) This document is a summary of comments and insights received during Round Two consultation, which took place in October 2023, and build on the previous What We Heard report. Support for engagement workshops was provided by BC Water and Waste Association. Consulted parties include provincial ministries, BC First Nations Health Authority, Indigenous Services Canada, regional health authorities, local and regional governments, and other interested parties. The purpose of the Round Two consultation was to:
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| Engineers and Geoscientists BC | What We Heard Report – 2018 Draft Guidelines (2022) A Steering Committee established in 2015 guided the initial work, establishing the vision and scope of the guidelines. A draft document was completed in 2018, which was then used to launch pilot projects to test the guidelines. This document details the consultations and feedback related to the 2018 Draft Guidelines and pilot projects, from key parties including the project team, the steering committee members, and the BC communities. The feedback was collected between 2016 and 2020, and again in 2022. The responses received during both consultation periods informed the development of the interim Professional Practice Guidelines – Guidelines for the Preparation of One Water System Risk Management Plans in British Columbia. |