Okanagan residents encouraged to take pledge to be ‘WaterWise’
The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) is asking people to conserve water and use it in the best possible ways.
To mark the unofficial start of summer, the OBWB is encouraging residents to pledge to ‘Make Water Work’ as part of a residential water conservation campaign.
Waterwise plants are available at select Okanagan nurseries. (Photo credit: Okanagan Basin Water Board)Though the past few months have been cooler than usual, the OBWB warns that predicting what the summer may hold is uncertain and asks people to be conservative with their water use.
“The fact is that the Okanagan has one of the highest rates of water use in Canada, with less available per person, and our population continues to grow. Drought or no drought, that’s good enough reason to consider our water use,” said Connie Jackson, communications director for OBWB.
“Make Water Work is aimed at tackling the second largest use of water in the Okanagan, residential outdoor use, and creating healthier and more resilient neighbourhoods.”
Area residents are being encouraged to take a pledge online to make water work better by:
- Watering lawn between dusk and dawn;
- Watering plants, not pavement;
- Let it grow, don’t mow low;
- Choose plants suitable to the dry climate;
- Tune up irrigation systems;
- Aerate lawns and top dress with compost.
Residents who take a pledge will be entered to win one of two $500 WaterWise yard upgrades.
Making a pledge will also help a person’s community win the bragging rights of Make Water Work Community Champions.
The Make Water Work campaign has partnered with garden centres throughout the Okanagan to carry plants that can help residents get started in converting their gardens and yards.
Included in the participating garden centres is the Nicholas Alexander Landscaping and Swan Lake Market and Garden in Vernon, Blue Mountain Nursery in Armstrong, Ace Hardware in Lake Country and Better Earth Gardens in Kelowna.