The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) awarded the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre with its National Water Wise Award at CIPHEX West in Vancouver, BC. The award recognizes the Aquarium’s longstanding commitment to aquatic life conservation, education, research and innovative operating practices.This is the second award being presented in 2016, its inaugural year.
Dr. John Nightingale, president and CEO of the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre accepts the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating Water Wise Award from Sean Kelly, vice president and general manager of Emco Corporation. The presentation was made at CIPHEX West in Vancouver.
“The Vancouver Aquarium is an international leader in both innovation and results. It is impressive that a cultural institution can be such a shining light for others to follow,” said Bill Palamar, CIPH chairman and president of Weil-McLain Canada. “The wide-ranging initiatives are both motivating and inspiring.”
The Vancouver Aquarium engages in several important programs and specific practices, such as:
• Aquatic education programs that reach over 80,000 school children each year
• Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which engages over 60,000 Canadians each year to remove trash from Canadian shorelines and raise awareness of litter in Canada’s waterways
• A 215,000 litre onsite rainwater collection system that collects grey water for toilet flushing
• Drip irrigation in place of sprinklers to reduce water lost through evaporation
• High performance plumbing features, including low flow toilets, shower heads and faucets
• A weekly Water Report highlighting conservation issues related to water
“As a conservation organization, we’re proud to lead nationwide direct action programs that help protect our oceans and the aquatic life that depend on it,” says Dr. John Nightingale, president and CEO of Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre. “Our aim is to engage millions of people to become stewards of our oceans through our Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup or Ocean Wise programs. Our collective efforts will help reduce overfishing and ocean pollution, leading to cleaner, healthier waters.”
As well, the Vancouver Aquarium’s certified ISO14001 Environmental Management System is led by seven pillars: freshwater conservation, chemical management, waste management, energy management, sustainable purchasing, species conservation, and environmental education.
In March, WaterAid Canada earned the inaugural CIPH Water Wise Award for its ongoing efforts to improve access to safe water, hygiene and toilets in the world’s poorest communities.
