The Okanagan Basin Water Board has organized several events to celebrate both World Water Day Wedneday and Canada Water Week from Sunday to March 25.
Two of the signature activities will be a panel discussion at Okanagan College and the screening of a documentary, RiverBlue: Can fashion save the planet?
The panel discussion takes place Tuesday, March 21, 6 to 8 p.m., at the OC campus in Kelowna’s Centre for Learning Atrium, 1000 KLO Rd.
Panellists will include OBWB executive director Anna Warwick Sears, Greater Vernon water sustainability co-ordinator Jennifer Miles and Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen engineering supervisor Lisa Bloomfield.
This is a free event but seating is limited so people planning to attend are asked to register online at okanaganwhywastewater.eventbrite.ca.
The RiverBlue film will be shown Wednesday at 7 p.m., at the Landmark Cinemas-Grand 10 in Kelowna.
This award-winning documentary follows Mark Angelo, an internationally recognized river conservationist from the Lower Mainland, as he explores the pollution caused by the textile industry in waterways around the world.
Tickets are $5, available in advance online at okanaganriverblue.eventbrite.ca.
Other planned activities will include the Okanagan WaterWise Challenge, open to students from kindergarten to Grade 12 invited to participate in up to three challenges on an H2O board that help conserve and protect water.
“It’s a new twist this year, but with all the same great prizes as in past years,” said OBWB communications director Corinne Jackson.
“We’re encouraging young people to get active in and around water, and build awareness for the need to look after it.”
Prizes include a two-hour boat cruise on Okanagan Lake for a class lesson on a local water system, presented by the Okanagan Science Centre, along with pizza parties and pool passes.
The contest ends April 28. For more information see OkWaterWise.ca.
Water reclamation plant tours will be held in Vernon at 2100 43rd St. Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Registration in advance is required. The contact person is Serge Kozin at 250-550-3626 or skozin@vernon.ca.
For more information about local Canada Water Week activities, check out the website okwaterwise.ca.