WATER CONSERVATION GUIDE 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?
In the summer, water use increases by three times the amount of winter use. Lawn and garden watering is the primary culprit.
Average Daily Demand in litres per connection (All Systems Combined) Non Irrigation Demand
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.
Irrigation Demand
3000 2000 1000 0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
What’s our goal?
Dec
What’s my indoor water use?
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.
Bathtub 3%
Other 5% Toilet 24%
Leaks 12%
Less than 3% of treated water is used for drinking. A faucet drip can add up to 4 litres of water per day.
Faucets 19%
Washing machine 17%
Shower 20%
Source: Okanagan Basin Water Board