The British Columbia government says people are using too much water - as much as 490 litres per person each day - and it has laid out a plan to reduce water use.
B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner says the plan, called Living Water Smart, offers 40 ideas for protecting water supplies and reducing water use.
They include setting ambitious water efficiency and conservation targets, establishing a maximum 40-year term for water licenses in some areas and regulating groundwater usage.
Penner says the plan has the steps needed to protect B.C. rivers, lakes and watersheds.
The government says people can do simple things to reduce their own water use, such as buying low flow toilets and shower heads, and front loading washing machines that use less water, and to fix leaks and dripping taps.
It says people should water lawns and gardens no more than twice a week for less than an hour and collect rainwater for the garden
