Andrea was always interested in sustainable building technologies, but it was only after learning about permaculture that she realized she could turn it into a career. Leaving the oil industry, she completed her Verge Permaculture PDC, becoming interested in rainwater harvesting after learning that conventional water management strategies created desert landscapes through drainage and diversion. The notion of wasting away a life-giving resource seemed so illogical that Andrea decided to take action.

Andrea next travelled to Tucson, Arizona (stomping grounds of drylands rainwater harvesting expert Brad Lancaster) to take a course with Watershed Management Group. It was this training with WMG that provided her with a solid foundation in active and passive rainwater management. She then finished the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) AP course, the gold standard for rainwater practitioners in North America. Currently she serves as president of CANARM, the Canadian Association for Rainwater Management.

Andrea has worked with Green Calgary to deliver their RAIN program, conducting hundreds of site visits to educate homeowners on best practices around water management. She has managed Green Calgary’s community and corporate rain barrel sales, ensuring Calgarians have access to rainwater harvesting equipment. Most recently, Andrea founded Water Harvesting Canada, a company specializing in water harvesting systems design, equipment, and installation.

Earth repair through thoughtful design and management: That’s the mission of Water Harvesting Canada. From education and installation to sourcing the right equipment, Water Harvesting Canada can serve your rainwater harvesting needs across the prairie provinces and beyond. Andrea is passionate about raising awareness around rainwater harvesting; she believes it can repair the damage built environments have done to the hydrological cycle. Her experience has taught her that bringing water back to the urban landscape can lower reliance on aging municipal infrastructure, create lush ecosystems and foodscapes, and preserve this precious resource for future generations to come.