As the temperatures soared during the most recent heatwave to hit the Coast, the Sunshine Coast Regional District announced the beginning of Stage 2 water conservation measures for South Pender Harbour.
“The current demand on the South Pender water system is frequently exceeding the maximum amount of water that we are allowed to under our water licences,” Remko Rosenboom, SCRD general manager of Infrastructure Services, said in the July 27 press release. “We are asking South Pender Harbour residents and businesses to follow Stage 2 water conservation regulations and help maintain supply for the remainder of the summer. We appreciate the community’s conservation efforts at this time to help ensure there is enough water available for domestic needs and fire protection”.
Effective July 29 until further notice, residents on that water system will not be able to water their lawns. Commercial food producing farms are exempt.
What is still allowed:
- Watering trees, shrubs or flowers — but only two days a week (depending on your street address) with a sprinkler, soaker hose or micro-spray system
- Four hours a day, trees, shrubs or flowers can also be watered with hand-held hoses with a nozzle, a hand-held container or drip irrigation system (but only between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
- Food producing plants and trees can be watered anytime with such hand-held methods, or between the hours of 7 to 9 two days a week with the sprinkler, soaker hose or micro-spray
- You can still wash your vehicle or boat, as long as you use a container, hand-held hose or a commercial car wash
- Filling swimming pools, spas, garden ponds or fountains
- Washing a sidewalk or driveway is only allowed if preparing the surface for painting or paving, or for health and safety reasons
Residents on the Chapman Water System and in the Town of Gibsons both begin Stage 2 the day before, on Thursday, July 28.
Stage 1 is still in effect for the Egmont, Earls Cove, and North Pender Harbour water systems.
At Stage 2, fines for violating the regulations are $300 in the SCRD and $200 in Gibsons. Complaints can be submitted to the SCRD at [email protected] or the online bylaw complaint form, and all complaints will be investigated.
Find more information at www.scrd.ca/Sprinkling-Regulations.
