Water Stories: An exploration of human-water connectedness in Ontario and the implications for water sustainability

• Main Author: Ehl, Tracey
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholars Commons @ Laurier 2023
• Subjects: drinking water; Ontario; ecopsychology; water sustainability; transformative learning; storytelling; Environmental Policy; Environmental Studies; Human Geography; Other Psychology; Social Justice; Urban Studies and Planning; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2546; https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3694&context=etd

Abstract Water is the great connector. Water connects people, health, wellness, culture, spirituality, nature, and the economy. Clean, safe water (potable water) and sanitation were recognized over a decade ago by the United Nations General Assembly (UN) as a basic human right, and more recently the UN has also identified water sustainability and management as one of 17 sustainable development goals for all people in all countries. Water is inextricably connected to humans. Yet, in Ontario, Canada, a place with access to some of the largest freshwater reserves in the world, robust regulatory frameworks, involvement, some investment by all levels of government, and a wealth of technical expertise, there are still thousands of people who experience disruption and contamination to this essential, life-sustaining resource, sometimes for decades. This situation, which affects First Nations disproportionately, has created a sustainability challenge in Ontario and gives rise to Ontario’s water paradox. Previous research has identified several troubling social trends regarding water which could help to explain this apparent water paradox in Ontario, including chronic underfunding of water-related infrastructure, overconsumption, a complex regulatory regime, and a general indifference about water. Given that these factors are a result of human choices and priorities, it appears that water is inextricably connected to people, but people may not perceive a deep connection to water. Since human connection to nature, including water, is a known predictive factor of social action toward sustainability, addressing the current challenges related to potable water requires that people are connected to water. The purpose of this research is therefore to understand how Ontarians were connected to water prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following objectives guided this exploration. 1) Examine water stories from/of a diverse sample of Ontarians to identify the ways people were connected to water, specifically situating drinking ...