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LETTER: Perry Ridge water in a global context

From Marilyn Burgoon of the Perry Ridge Water Users Association...
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International World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Water is the essential building block of life. But it is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health. Water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development.

Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water.

Water is a fundamental human right. Canada joined the international consensus and recognized the right to water at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable development in 2012. We must live up to that commitment where we live.

Conservancy of Canada stated in 2015: “Some say water is the lifeblood of this planet, and it’s true! The areas where land and water meet (wetlands, coasts, shorelines and stream banks, to name a few) are places that brim with biodiversity and rare species. The healthy state of these ecosystems is crucial for nature’s provision of services such as purification of air and proper nutrient cycling.

“Healthy wetlands and watersheds play key roles in the quality of our water resources. They act like giant sponges that help absorb and replenish water to buffer flood and drought risks. They are also vital nesting, breeding and staging grounds for waterfowl and many other species and continue to be among the most diverse ecosystems of all!

“But in spite of their important roles, our world’s wetlands are facing serious woes.

“Troubling statistics estimate that 64 per cent of world’s wetlands have disappeared since the 1900s (Ramsar Fact Sheet, 2015). Canada, home to a quarter of the world’s wetlands, is not immune to these trends.”

We are coming to better understand and appreciate that nature is a key part of the infrastructure for our cities and communities. Just as we need pipes and pumps as a part of our water system, we also need healthy wetlands, rivers and watersheds to ensure a future of clean and abundant fresh water.

Perry Ridge Water Users Association continues to lobby the government to protect the watersheds locally and recognizes how fortunate we are to still have high elevation wetlands that provide us with good water.

Marilyn Burgoon

Perry Ridge Water Users Association