NEW! MULTI-STAGE WATER RESTRICTIONS
There’s plenty of water in the CSRD. Why do we need to conserve?
It’s not about the amount of water. It’s about getting it to your tap.
Safety. We all want a safe, reliable water supply in our homes. Sufficient water in our reservoirs means water is available to the community for essential purposes like:
Drinking water
Firefighting
Food production.
Cost. When water demands are high, it puts a strain on the system. This means more frequent, costly repairs and a reduced lifespan for equipment. All those costs are paid for by the water users that’s you!
How much water are we using?
(All
What’s our goal?
The CSRD’s average non-irrigation water use is approximately 986 litres/day per household. This increases to between 1,900 and 3,400 litres/day from June to August. This is equivalent to 6 - 11 bathtubs full of water.
Using more than 1,500 liters of water per day is considered excessive By lowering our water use to this threshold, we can safeguard the water supply and greatly enhance the lifespan of our water systems. That amount is five bathtubs full of water per day.
In the summer, water use increases by three times the amount of winter use. Lawn and garden watering is the primary culprit.
Without reducing water, the supply system may not be able to keep up Pumps work overtime, straining the system. Reservoirs are at risk of reaching critically low levels, possibly resulting in shut-downs.
What’s
my indoor water use?
Less than 3% of treated water is used for drinking. A faucet drip can add up to 4 litres of water per day.
How does a water system work?
Water is pumped to your water system through a lake or groundwater intake pipe. Sometimes summer use of water has exceeded a plant’s capacity, which could disrupt water service.
Treatment plants use UV and/or chemical disinfectants to remove all bacteria, viruses and parasites from the water A Boil Water Notice may have to be issued if the system can’t keep up
Pump stations move the water through the watermains and into reservoirs
From the reservoirs, water is iped to the households within he water system boundaries hat is why it is important to lways have enough water in the eservoirs to meet the need for drinking, firefighting and food production.
Each step in this process involves costs and limitations on how much water can be processed Water conservation helps to reduce these pressures
Water Conservation Tips
Lawns only need a maximum of 1 5" of water per week
Use a rain gauge to monitor watering
Collect rainwater and snowmelt in barrels or cisterns for watering plants and gardens.
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
Only run your dishwasher when it is full
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
Why don’t we just expand our systems to meet the demand for water?
Water infrastructure is expensive. It can take years, and often requires long-term debt, to get enough money for a system expansion.
The Scotch Creek Water System, currently under construction, took six years to obtain federal and provincial grant funding, acquire service area taxpayer’s approval for borrowing money and construction approvals The total project budget is $4 1 million
Operations and maintenance of the CSRD’s 10 water systems costs approximately $ 1 1 million annually *
Each Pump station costs $500,000.*
Reservoirs cost $1.5 million.*
One metre of water main pipe costs $800 to $1,000 * (CSRD Water Systems total 82,392 metres of watermain)
* - Estimated average
Once a water system is upgraded or expanded, the CSRD is required to put money away in a reserve fund for its eventual replacement.
It’s like knowing you will need new winter tires for your car in two years. Smart budgeting is to start stashing some money away now, so you can pay for the tires when needed.
Fix leaking toilets, faucets and irrigation systems
Install low-flow faucets and shower heads
Use a broom to clean driveways, patios, and sidewalks instead of water from a hose
Take shorter showers A minute can save 8 litres
