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John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail

Headwaters <br>

One commodity occupies a central place in the day-to-day lives of Canadians more than any other, and though it's assumed to be in unfettered abundance, water is a resource that cannot be taken for granted.

Over the next week, The Globe and Mail will examine the many challenges to Canada's watersheds. From the battle to preserve clean water in the Great Lakes, to the more than 100 boil-water advisories affecting First Nations communities, to large-scale projects that have sparked public outcry, policymakers face critical questions about the future of a resource we assume will always be available.

We will explore these questions in depth, consider what solutions technology offers, and report on what individual water users can do to make a difference.

Our series begins with a report from national correspondent Mark Hume, who asks what Canada's stewardship of water will look like in the coming years, after experts complained of neglect under the watch of the previous federal government:

Reduced federal oversight leaves a critical resource exposed It powers industry and is the lifeblood of healthy communities. But years of reduced federal oversight have left the government with major decisions about managing a resource we take for granted


Also from the series:


This series page, which can be accessed at tgam.ca/headwaters, will be updated all week with highlights from the project. In the meantime, enjoy a selection of features from our archives:

Protecting the health of Alberta’s Bow River Alberta’s Bow River provides important irrigation, hydroelectric power and recreation along its 600-kiliomtre course, but the once-vast glacier at its source is rapidly shrinking
Investing in solutions for the water crisis As large regions face growing shortages, ETFs with a focus on this resource’s infrastructure are limited but interesting
Gary Mason: Water is a precious commodity, but B.C. is just giving it away Swiss-based Nestlé pays roughly the price of one its chocolate bars for each million litres it takes for bottling