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Water Conservation Framework

Is your city interested in signing on?  Please contact Melissa Soline at melissa.soline@glslcities.org

or 312.201.4517

Overview
Sign Up
Participating Cities
Water Conservation Best Practices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River represent about 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater supply and provide drinking water for more than 40 million United States and Canadian citizens within the Basin.  However, only one percent of the water in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence is renewed each year.  The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence waters sustain us and the natural world, and support our need for recreation, fishing, transportation, and power. 

In the spirit of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact and Sustainable Water Resources Agreement, cities are urged to participate in the GLSLCI Water Conservation Framework.  The Framework is a voluntary program in which cities commit to reducing water use within their city limits.  Cities will work towards a 15 percent reduction in total water usage below year 2000 water consumption levels by the year 2015.  Reductions above or below the 15 percent target are fully appropriate.  Re-evaluation will take place in 2015 to determine an appropriate target reduction to achieve by the year 2025.   

Recognizing that some cities already have water conservation programs and others do not, the Framework will consist of two groups of cities.  Group 1 will include cities that have water conservation plans in place and Group 2 will include cities that do not have water conservation plans, as of now.

   

The Framework allows cities to work together on water conservation.  This cooperation will be fostered through a focus on the dissemination and sharing of best practices and recognition on an annual basis for cities’ efforts to reduce water use.  The Framework is an opportunity for cities to take a unified and collaborative step to conserve the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence. 

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Sign Up

Group 1 - For cities that already have a water conservation plan:

1). Group 1 cities are asked to provide GLSLCI with:

1. A letter confirming the city’s intent to participate, including an optional city council resolution (GLSLCI Water Conservation Framework Resolution);
2. An overview of the city’s water conservation program including successes to date, lessons learned, volume of water saved on an annual basis, energy and monetary savings, and other benefits of the program;
3. A person for other cities to contact regarding the water conservation program (preferably someone knowledgeable on the technical side).

 

2).  In subsequent years, Group 1 cities will be asked to provide an annual report in May on the progress of their water conservation program.  GLSLCI will develop an easy template for annual reporting.

 

Group 2 - For cities that do not yet have a water conservation plan:

1). Group 2 cities are asked to provide GLSLCI with:

• A letter confirming the city’s intent to participate, including an optional city council resolution (GLSLCI Water Conservation Framework Resolution).  Please include an indication of when the city anticipates completing the water conservation plan, which should include an implementation strategy and budget.
• Begin implementation of the city’s water conservation efforts after completion of the water conservation plan. 

 

2). When the city’s program is operating, the city will be asked to provide annual reports every May on the city’s progress under its water conservation program.

If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Soline at 312-201-4517 or melissa.soline@glslcities.org

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Participating Cities

Ajax (Town of), ON

Beaconsfield, QU

Blue Mountains (Town of the), ON

Buffalo, NY

Châteauguay (Ville de), QU

Chicago, IL

Cobourg, ON

Collingwood, ON

Durham Region, ON

Ferrysburg, MI

Fort Erie, ON

Grand Rapids, MI

Goderich, ON

Hamilton, ON

Kingston, ON

Marathon, ON

Marquette, MI

Monroe, MI

Montréal, QU

Niagara Region, ON

Penetanguishene (Town of), ON

Québec Metropolitan Community, QU

Region of Peel, ON

Rochester, NY

Sault Ste. Marie, ON

St. Catharines, ON

Sheffield Lake, OH

Sorel-Tracy, QU

Thunder Bay, ON

Toledo, OH

Toronto, ON

Wind Point (Village of), WI

Windsor, ON

 

 

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Water Conservation Best Practices

 

Link to GLSLCI Best Practices

 

 

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