Theme EN 2: Water

Theme Statement

Kingston has an abundance of clean, safe and potable water that is used responsibly and is returned to the local environment in as clean, safe, and potable condition as possible.

Indicators

Residential water consumption per capita (Average residential liters per capita per day).
Beach Water Quality (Number of beach days closed per year).

Goals

Minimize discharge of untreated sanitary sewage to natural water bodies.
Minimize pollution and sediment deposits from stormwater runoff to natural water bodies.
Restore and improve water quality at public beaches.
Preserve and enhance streams, wetlands and riparian areas to enhance runoff water quality and provide aquatic habitat.
Reduce the number of malfunctioning septic systems and private water wells.
Reduce per capita treated water consumption for non-potable uses from all users (residential, industrial, commercial, institutional).
Encourage the use of municipal water as a healthy and affordable beverage choice.

Actions

Action	Action Lead	Target	Status
Campus Water Efforts Partnered with Student Association at our Colleges and Universities to introduce water fountains with bottle re-fill stations. Work with our clients who have banned bottled water.	Brown's Dining Solutions	Have water available to refill bottles at convenient locations across our post secondary accounts.	Ongoing
Water Awareness Campaign 2011	Brown's Dining Solutions	Partner with St. Lawrence College in their one month water awareness campaign in 2011.	Completed
Hydration Stations / Blue W Program	St. Lawrence College	Encourage the use of municipal water as a healthy and affordable beverage choice.	Ongoing
Energy Efficient Upgrades The facility is equipped with low flow toilets. In 2010 we took advantage of the Electricity Retrofit Incentive Program offered by Ontario Hydro to replace existing light fixtures with energy efficient units and subsequently chose to convert our remaining florescent units as well.	Upper Canada Office Systems	Reduce water and energy requirements.	Ongoing
Reducing Plastic Water Bottles In order to reduce the amount of plastic water bottles used we distrusted metal reusable water bottles to all grade nine students as part of their welcome packages. We also made them available for purchase to the rest of the school. Bayridge Secondary School had a water bottle refill station installed to support this initiative.	Bayridge Secondary School	Make sure that all staff and students are using reusable water bottles at school.	Ongoing
RBC Blue Water Project The RBC Blue Water Project is a wide-ranging, multi-year program to help foster a culture of water stewardship, so that people have clean fresh water today and tomorrow. Started in 2007, the RBC Blue Water Project is an innovative, 10-year, global commitment to help protect the world's most precious natural resource: fresh water.	Royal Bank of Canada	To provide million in charitable grants to not-for-profit organizations that protect watersheds and provide or ensure access to clean drinking water.	2007-2017
Great Lakes Water Footprint Initiative	Lafarge	As part of an International Council of Great Lakes Industry to examine and monitor water use.	Ongoing. Involved as a test location to monitor the water footprint of a cement manufacturing facility.
Reduction in Water Consumption - In-room collateral messaging encourages guests to re-use towels in an effort to reduce laundry and consequently water usage. - Toilets requiring replacement are switched to low-flow versions. - Rain water harvesting for facility plantings.	Ambassador Conference Resort	Continue to reduce our water consumption.	Ongoing
Reduction in Water Consumption - In-room collateral messaging encourages guests to re-use towels in an effort to reduce laundry and consequently water usage. - Toilets requiring replacement are switched to low-flow versions. - Rain water harvesting for facility plantings.	Four Points by Sheraton	Continue to reduce our water consumption. 2010-annual water usage per room down 7.68 percent from 2009.	Ongoing
Water Efficiency Retrofit Incentive Program Provides financial rebates to landlords and/or tenants who replace old, inefficient toilets with high efficiency models.	Utilities Kingston	Expanding water efficiency incentive programs.	Ongoing
Rain Barrels The goal of this program is to raise awareness, reduce storm sewer discharge and reduce treated water use for gardening purposes, especially during summer peak water use months.	Utilities Kingston	Annual delivery of 1,000 high quality rain barrels to Utilities Kingston customers at cost (50% discount compared to retail prices).	Ongoing (annual program)
Water Conservation Demonstration Garden In partnership with Hearthmakers, the Water Conservation Garden is an educational resource on sustainable gardening practices — open to public and school groups — to demonstrate run off and erosion prevention and low water use landscaping.	Utilities Kingston	To be used as an educational resource which is open to the public and school groups.	Ongoing
Upgrade of Ravensview Water Pollution Control Plant A full description is available.	Utilities Kingston	30% increase in sewage treatment capacity and increase to enhanced secondary treatment.	Completed (Upgrade project, completed 2009.)
Solar Photovoltaic Panels on New Vehicle Storage Facility Solar panels have been installed on the new vehicle storage facility at 1211 John Counter Boulevard.	Utilities Kingston	Produce renewable energy, deliver financial returns to the City of Kingston and meet council\'s renewable energy goals.	Ongoing
Toilet Replacement Program Find out more about the program under Environmental Initiatives.	Science ’44 Co-op Inc.	Replacing old toilets that used more than 13 L of water per flush with "low-flow" toilets that use 6 L per flush.	Ongoing
Local Rain Barrel Production and Promotion Providing sustainable local manufacturing of rain barrels from recycled food grade containers. The barrels are offered to the public, along with installation, at a reduced price relative to current market options.	Living Cities Company	- To increase retention of rainwater to reduce storm water surge, and to promote use of sustainable forms of water (reduce municipal water draw). - To convert 200 new homes each year to rainwater collection.	Ongoing
Safe Water Program As part of the Ontario Building Code (Sewage Systems), Public Health Inspectors provide regulatory oversight of drinking water, recreational water use and sewage systems.	KFL&A Public Health	Meet the provincial safe water goals.	Ongoing
RAIN (Storm Water Management initiative) Will build and maintain a demonstration rain garden, an ecological approach to storm water management, in our community. Will also develop and present 4 community workshops designed to educate individuals on proper storm water management techniques.	Hearthmakers Energy Cooperative	Provide demonstrations of a functioning rain garden and educate visitors.	Ongoing
Well Aware (Ground Water Protection Initiative) To deliver the Well Aware program, a provincially-funded, rural well inspection initiative designed to help well owners protect the groundwater by properly maintaining their wells.	Hearthmakers Energy Cooperative	To perform 19 guided self-assessments in 2011.	Ongoing
Water Restriction Bylaw Creation and enforcement of the Bylaw (2006).	City of Kingston	Reduction in treated water demand during the summer months.	Ongoing (annual program)
Commercially Bottled Water Policy An initiative of the school board's Committee for Social Justice. Look for the policy under the title "Commercially Bottled Water" and help to spread the word.	Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board	To reduce the use of water from soft plastic, single use, commercially bottled products. Ultimately to eliminate them altogether.	Ongoing