Province reminds public that water conservation is everyone’s responsibility
The Government of British Columbia is calling on the public to do their part to conserve water as drought conditions continue to impact most of the southern half of the province.
The province says there is a water scarcity in a lot of the watershed and systems, and that scarcity is expected to be exacerbated by the hot and dry conditions forecasted for the remainder of the week.
Only one area, the Kettle Basin in the Kootney region, is currently at a Drought Level 5, where the impacts of the upcoming weather pattern are expected to have the biggest impact.
There are several areas under Drought Level 4, including the North and South Thompson basins, as well as the Salmon River, Coldwater River and Nicola River watersheds in the Thomson Okanagan region; the Lower Columbia and West Kootney basins; the Lower Mainland and South Coast basins; and the Vancouver Island basins and Gulf Islands. These areas are expected to see the weather impact people, fish and ecosystems.
The Okanagan Valley is one of several regions under Drought Level 3, including Similkameen, Cariboo/Chilcotin, the East Kootenay Basin and Skegit watershed. There are also several streams in the Okanagan, Similkameen and Cariboo/Chilcotin areas that have been greatly impacted by the drought conditions.
Ten other watershed basins in B.C. are either under Drought Level 2 or 1.
The province asks that people take voluntary action to reduce their water consumption, and to actively follow any restrictions put in place by local and regional governments, water utility providers or irrigation districts.
The province recommends the general public follow water conservation practices, including:
- Limit outdoor watering
- Do not water during the heat of the day or in windy conditions
- Plant drought-tolerant vegetation
- Take shorter showers
- Do not leave taps running
- Install water-efficient showerheads, taps and toilets.
For farmers, the province recommends:
- Implementing an irrigation scheduling program
- Schedule irrigation to match crop needs and soil storage capacity
- Improve water system efficiencies and check for leaks
- Focus on high-value crops and livestock
The province also has recommendations for industry:
- Reduce non-essential water use
- Recycle water used in industrial operations
- Use water-efficient methods and equipment
If voluntary conservation measures do not achieve adequate results, or if the drought conditions continue or worsen, then the province may take regulatory action through the Water Sustainability Act to implement restrictions and conserve water for firefighting operations, and consumption and sanitizing purposes.