This information session is intended to inform groundwater consultants, potential licensees, and some well drillers and well pump installers on new groundwater licensing requirements under the Water Sustainability Act. It explains the overall framework for the granting of water rights (First-In-Time First-In-Right or FITFIR) and the rights and responsibilities related to the use of groundwater. Water licence application requirements for existing and new groundwater users are reviewed, as well as key stipulations associated with a water licence (appurtenancy, water use purposes, transfers, amendment, etc.) Groundwater connectivity to surface water is also addressed, including implications for water allocation and regulation during times of scarcity. Some Q&A from this session, recorded in Parksville on October 21, 2016, are also captured.
