New outdoor water use regulations are in effect in Cranbrook after city council adopted an updated bylaw on Monday evening, following feedback and internal discussions on managing the Phillips Reservoir during drought conditions last summer.
The biggest changes to outdoor water use going forward will be limiting watering hours to a maximum of two hours either in the morning (between 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.) or in the evening (8 p.m. to 11 p.m.) during Stage 1 and Stage 2 restrictions.
In Stage 3 restrictions, the length of time is shortened to only one hour in the morning (6 a.m. to 8 a.m.) or in the evening (8 p.m. and 10 p.m.).
Under the final level of Stage 4 restrictions, all outdoor water use is prohibited, including the ability for water bottling facilities, hydroponic facilities, and car washes to operate, along with concrete and asphalt plants. However, golf courses will be able to irrigate as necessary, as they operate on their own wells and are not connected to the City’s water system.
Those with vegetable gardens or those who have edible plants are still allowed to water any day of the week unless under Stage 4 restrictions, under the new bylaw
“I think the challenges we faced as a community last summer created an appreciation about how important our water, and the conservation of our water really is,” said Mayor Wayne Price, in a news release. “Whether or not last summer was an anomaly, I believe people are now understanding and much more willing to accept these types of water conservation measures.”
Watering days remain on the same schedule.
Even numbered properties can water Monday, Thursday, and Saturday while odd numbered properties can water Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. Nobody waters on Wednesday.
The city says it can significantly reduce the amount of water use throughout the community by limiting outdoor watering to only two hours per day on a property’s specific watering day, which will help with water conservation efforts.
A community awareness on water usage peaked last year, as the city moved to Stage 3 watering restrictions for the first time ever, in response to lower water levels at the Phillips Reservoir as the summer months dragged out.
At the time, city staff noted the consumption of water being used for lawn irrigation was significantly higher on days when watering was allowed.
For example, over a four week period in July and August, the city treated an average of 13 million litres on Waterless Wednesdays, when no lawn irrigation is allowed. Contrast that to other days of the week when the city was treating an average of just under 25 million litres on days where lawn irrigation was allowed.
That means 11 million litres of water — roughly five Olympic-sized swimming pools — was being used for irrigation purposes on days when watering was allowed.
The city’s updated water use bylaw incorporated community feedback about outdoor water use to guide the latest changes.
“We will continue to keep a close eye on the Phillips Reservoir and the tributaries feeding into the reservoir over the course of the year, to make sure we have the water levels we need,” said Jason Perrault, Deputy Director of Public Works. “We will also be working to promote the importance of water conservation initiatives through 2024 and continue our Water Ambassador program to help provide important education and support the monitoring of outdoor water use through the summer.”
The city is currently under Stage 2 restrictions — dropping down from Stage 3 — which went into effect in January to facilitate water usage for building outdoor skating rinks.
In addition to tweaking the water use bylaw, council also approved changes to the city’s operational water use policies to align with the new bylaw regulations.
More information on watering stages and restrictions is available on the city’s website.
Additionally, the city’s water conservation rebate program for either rain barrels or programmable above-ground sprinkler timers is also open and accepting applications.
Rebate program details and applications can be found on the city’s website.