There is a heightened interest in water globally, federally and provincially these days that isn't creating front-page news, perhaps because it's a super hot summer.

However, three initiatives deserve mention.

The United Nations General Assembly is considering a resolution that will recognize the right of humans to safe and clean drinking water, British Columbia is reviewing its Water Act, and Alberta's minister of environment, Bob Renner, is proposing legislation to establish a deregulated market system that would give control to a few senior license holders.

Alberta's water legislation was enacted in 1894. It is called a "first in time, first in right" (FITFIR) system where those with senior water licenses have the right to use all the water allocated on their permits.

They can do so even when shortages occur in the water supply. Junior licensees often get no water.

The Alberta government is now aware that their system for allocating water is failing due to overuse and reduced supplies. Three major rivers in Alberta – the Bow River, the Oldman River, and the South Saskatchewan River – are over allocated.

Water resources in British Columbia are much more abundant than those in Alberta, but a FITFIR system established in a Water Act that was enacted in 1909 is still the primary water management legislation in BC. And it's time it was revised to reflect current conditions.

The government has recognized the inadequacies of the 100-year-old act and began a four-phase process that will end in the spring 2011 with the introduction of a new bill in the Legislature.

Four objectives are being addressed as part of the Water Act review:

• protection of streams and aquatic environments;

• improvement of water governance arrangements;

• flexibility and efficiency in the water allocation system; and

• regulation of ground water use in priority areas and where large withdrawals occur.

Demand for water is increasing in B.C. because of population growth and increasing industrial and agricultural uses and an apparent disconnect between the attitudes of Canadians towards water conservation and actual conservation efforts.

Restrictions have been imposed in some jurisdictions.

Our society runs on water and a long-term supply is critical to our livelihood yet water is liberally wasted. Canadians use over 300 litres per person per day.

In 2000 Canada's water consumption per capita was over nine times greater than that of the United Kingdom. Only residents of the United States consume more water per person than Canadians.

The third annual Canadian Water Attitudes Study done by the Royal Bank of Canada and Unilever showed that Canadians don't save water despite their concern about its availability.

The study showed that 78 per cent of people believe that it is difficult to conserve water, many admitted to knowingly wasting it on such activities as hosing down driveways or leaving a tap running while rinsing dishes.

Regardless what the new B.C. Water Act will say, every British Columbian can adopt water conservation measures. Now that a long hot summer is underway in the East Boundary region, the challenge will be to use water sparingly so as not to overtax water systems.

Residents must relearn the way they use the water that comes from sources that can eventually be depleted in most municipalities.

British Columbians won't be happy with the restrictions a new Water Act will impose but they must realize that new guidelines and regulations are long overdue. Conditions are different from those of a century ago.

We may have a right to water but we've got to learn to use it differently.