CSA Community Water Standards
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The number of weather-related natural catastrophes in Canada has increased in the last few decades. Damages caused by floods and rainstorms comprise a significant portion of the financial costs associated with these events. There are several factors contributing to this trend, including a high number of properties located in flood-prone areas, loss of permeable surfaces due to urbanization, aging infrastructure, and changes in the intensity, frequency, or duration of precipitations due to climate change.
Municipalities shoulder the burden of responding to these events and their aftermath. They are looking for ways to protect their communities before the next catastrophe hits. The new suite of Community Water Standards developed by CSA Group can help support efforts toward building flood-resilient cities, towns, and hamlets – regardless of their size.
Incorporating these standards by reference into municipal plans and bylaws can help consistently apply best practices in the design, construction, and management of water infrastructure and give the building community clarity on expectations. Using the trusted, credible CSA Group-developed resources can help municipalities save time, costs, and gain public confidence in measures taken to protect communities.
This Guide can help urban planners, managers, and elected municipal officials understand the standards they can use to support their municipal objectives. The Guide also includes sample language municipalities can use when referencing standards in their policies, bylaws, and municipal documents.
To develop this Guide, CSA Group collaborated with four Canadian municipalities: Colwood, British Columbia; High River, Alberta; Lakeshore, Ontario; and Cambridge, Ontario. Together with engineering consultant, WSP, they shared documents and experiences that helped develop this Municipal How-to Guide. Validated by other municipalities from different parts of the country, this Guide provides a three-step process for incorporating CSA Group Community Water Standards into municipal planning and approval processes.
