"Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink." *

Here we are, in Tofino, one of the rainiest regions in the world, a rainforest no less, and we just had a water shortage. Ouch. Ok, to be clear, we have lots of fresh water, but just not when we need it the most, in the summer months. Those months have been dry recently, and as everyone knows, the local population swells with tourists who need water. As a local resident, I could blame government for not supplying enough water,  but better yet, I could blame them for not demanding more conservation oriented alternatives. As a committed conservationist, I believe in decentralization, localization, efficiency and demand reduction. Please don't talk to me about expensive new projects that will supply more water from far off places. I'm not listening. I want to focus on common sense conservation measures that we can all adopt with low overall costs.

A quick fact. Canadians are the greatest water users per capita in the world. This dubious distinction means we are also the greatest water wasters. How do you explain to an Australian, who is facing a serious water crisis and is already having water rationed, that 30% of our fresh clean drinking water is flushed down the toilet? That 20% is used washing clothes. That all this fresh water turned waste water is thrown away? The fact is, we are all responsible for the creation of this wasteful system and the time has come to rethink our relationship to what may be our greatest national resource.

After last summer's fiasco, a small group consisting of Tofino councillor Michael Tzilitsky, Alex and Diane Nicolic and myself, got together to discuss simple ways to conserve water. It was immediately apparent that conservation was the cheapest and easiest way to bolster the local water supply. Low flush toilets were already being made available and this was an important initiative, especially if our resorts converted. Xeriscaping, the use of native plants to landscape, was another positive way to lessen the need for summer water use. But installing rainwater collection systems for homes and resorts held a special position, because it produced free water that could be collected during our wet months and stored for use during drier months. This water would allow people to keep their gardens watered, their vehicles washed, their surfboards and wetsuits clean, and all without tapping into the municipal water supply. And it's not rocket science, it's been done all over the world for thousands of years.

I contacted Bob Burgess of Rainwaterconnection and our small group organized a presentation and community discussion at the Tofino Community Hall in November 2006. The success of this initiative led directly to the Rainwater Collection Installation workshop at my home in May 2007 and the Rainwater Collection Introductory Course the following day.

Can we make demand reduction our goal in Tofino? I hope we have planted a seed here that can grow into a gushing waterfall of free unlimited fresh rainwater. Maybe we can become a community leader and set an example of real vision. One sure means to this goal is to make the rainwater connection.

* The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge