No Further Increase In Watering Restrictions This Summer

It may be smoky in the Lower Mainland, but our reservoirs are looking very healthy!

The Vancouver Sun reports that Metro Vancouver’s water reservoirs are still at 70% and there will be no escalation of watering restrictions this summer:

“Despite the long stretch of hot weather this summer, Metro Vancouver says it is not facing a water shortage.

Metro Vancouver spokeswoman Sarah Lusk said Saturday that water storage is at 70 per cent in the region, which is in the normal range. She said there are no plans to move to Stage 2 water restrictions.

Meantime, Whistler, which imposed Stage 4 water restrictions on Tuesday following critically low reservoir levels because of a water main break, says levels are slowing recovering.

On Friday, Whistler said that despite levels recovering, community members and businesses must continue to limit water use, and that Stage 4 water conservation will be in effect until at least Monday.

Some areas of Whistler, including the Emerald and Cheakamus Crossing neighbourhoods, have been downgraded to Stage 1.

Stage 4 does not permit any outdoor potable water use and is the highest water restriction stage. While water conservation stages pertain to outdoor uses, the community is urged to conserve all water uses.

Whistler said significant water use reductions are the only way for the reservoir levels to recover, while the water main is repaired.

Enderby also suffered a water outage after an accident Friday night cut off Telus telecommunications services to the North Okanagan city of roughly 3,000 people.

Mayor Greg McCune said internet-linked sensors on the city’s water reservoir failed to transmit calls for more water as levels dropped. Matters were made worse by a cellphone service blackout which hindered communication between city staff, but workers were able to pump water manually into the reservoir, which they expected to return to normal levels Saturday afternoon.

“Technology’s great, but you always have to have a backup,” McCune said.”

Enjoy what’s left of another hot, dry summer in Metro Vancouver, and let’s give thanks to all those hard working firefighters battling blazes across our province!