British Columbia’s water systems are critical pieces of our community infrastructure, which contribute to a high quality of public and environmental health. Water is inherently connected, but our water systems are siloed and our water infrastructure faces deficits, limited funding, human resources constraints, and climate change impacts. These systemic risks could lead to public health and environmental impacts if not appropriately addressed.

The “Professional Practice Guidelines – Preparation of One Water System Risk Management Plans (WSRMP) in British Columbia” is an initiative by Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia and the BC Ministry of Health to guide professional practice related to managing a community’s water system risks by using a One Water approach which considers the entire water system, from source to tap and sink to watershed. These guidelines represents a novel approach and paradigm shift in risk management for water sector professionals in British Columbia and nationally by operationalizing the One Water concept and providing engineers with tools to put One Water into practice which has been difficult to do, until now.

Since 2015, WSP Canada worked closely with EGBC to lead the development of the guidelines, supporting a collaborative development process through technical committees, piloting with select communities and engagement with provincial ministries, health authorities, non-profit organizations, and communities. WSP Canada authored the professional practice guideline, led the pilots to test the guideline, and supported engagement throughout the process. The interim professional practice guidelines were published in April 2024 for use by communities across British Columbia and have set a standard of practice for professionals across the province, leading the way for integrating One Water approaches in water system management in Canada.

One Water. Our water systems are critical pieces of our ecosystems and community infrastructure which not only provide a life sustaining role but also carry multiple values and benefits. A more holistic approach considers system risks, organizational dynamics, and financial constraints to protect human and environmental health. The One Water concept considers water as a finite, single resource that needs to be shared sustainably between different water needs, without threatening its quantity or quality, while supporting basic principles of equity, sustainability, and human rights. This transformation is crucial, especially given the complex challenges posed by a changing climate, limited funding, and critical infrastructure gaps.

Collaboration and Engagement. Implementing guidance at a provincial level requires broad awareness and engagement to validate the concept, approach, and output. An engagement process supported by multiple partners and interested groups through the development of these guidelines ensured alignment with the varied water supply systems in BC. The result was more inclusive language, applicability to Indigenous water systems, and respect for the cultural value of water.

Flexible, scalable, and accessible. Through engagement, there was a recognition that guidance developed must be non-prescriptive, flexible, and scalable for a range of small, medium, and large communities. Guidance must be easy to implement, written in plain language, and accessible.

The professional practice guidelines lead the way in BC and Canada, setting a standard to implement One Water in practice and providing engineers with a tool to apply a One Water lens to water system risk management for all communities. The result is a holistic approach which considers operations, organizational dynamics, and financial constraints to protect human and environmental health by fostering collaboration and informed decision-making for long-term resilience of BC communities.