Municipality's Efforts toward Sustainable Groundwater Use Awarded 15th JWGP Environment Minister's Grand Prize

Stored water in paddy fields
Copyright Ono City

According to an announcement on April 5, 2013, Ono City, in Fukui Prefecture, was awarded the Minister of the Environment's 15th Japan Water Grand Prize (JWGP) for its groundwater conservation and management activities. The award was first established in June 1998, with the Japan River Association as secretariat, with the aim of creating a society with good, safe, clean water in the twenty-first century in Japan and around the world, and to contribute to sound water circulation.

Promoting abundant groundwater as part of its civic image, Ono City formulated in 1977 a city ordinance for sustainable use of groundwater and prohibit the use of groundwater to melt snow (on roads, etc.). The city has been storing water in paddy fields throughout the year since 1978, and it established in December 2000 a fund for groundwater conservation to support educational programs and research.

In December 2005, the city drew up its management plan to conserve groundwater, based on principles of harmonizing its conservation and sustainable use, and setting targets for achieving certain groundwater levels. In 2011, it laid out a plan to revive traditional local culture on spring water. Based on the plan, it organizes workshops on water, has supported citizens to install devices to measure water volume and level to reduce water use, and is working for protection of the land-locked Itoyo (three-spined stickleback fish) and spring sources. The city's website also introduces products made with the city's renowned water and provides information about travelling routes to visit famous water spots. On March 27, 2013, elementary school pupils released 30 three-spined stickleback fish at Yoshikage Spring and confirmed the presence of about 100 young fish on May 10.

Related JFS article:
Japan Water Grand Prize Announced
Japanese Municipality Approves Ordinance for Protecting Groundwater as Public Property