Water restrictions in the Lower Mainland
We are now at Stage 3 watering restrictions in Metro Vancouver and the province has declared a Level 4 drought in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, with the Sunshine Coast moving to Stage 4 water restrictions. That’s the highest category possible and means that if water supplies continue to decline, shortages will affect people, industry and agriculture. Are the water restrictions showing up in health care around you? Do these restrictions make you think about water differently?
How did this happen?
Hot and dry temperatures and a reduced snow pack have caused lower water levels than usual in the water supply. Currently, we need well over 140 to 150 millimetres of moisture to fall to ensure the reservoir gets back to normal operating ranges.
Despite the apparent wealth of fresh water in BC, increasing human activities, population growth and the impacts of climate change are placing pressure on this precious resource. All evidence points to the same conclusion: we need to reduce our water consumption. In fact, Canadians are the largest water consumer in the world after the U.S. with hardly a care for water use and few regulations. Did you know that each Canadian uses about 350 litres of water a day, compared to a European who uses about 150 litres?
Climate change & adaptation plans
We’ve heard from experts that B.C.’s trends are linked to global climate change; B.C.’s events impact Arctic ice caps and Greenland; and B.C.’s communities are responding by preparing adaptation plans.
So how are we changing our perception of water use?
Donna Olson, Administrative Assistant at the Lower Mainland Facilities Management posted a Community Discussion on BCGreenCare to find out what other health care workers are doing to reduce water consumption.
Read the story and her suggestions here.
Please leave a comment on BCGreenCare.ca
We want to hear if the water restrictions are effecting you, at home and at work. How are you reducing your water consumption?
To add a comment, post one below or log-in to BCGreenCare.ca and share your advice and stories. We would love to hear all feedback, thoughts and ideas.
Carol
My concern is this when it comes to we BC residents being on water restrictions 3 to 4. Our community on the Sunshine Coast are on the Level 4. When we were on Level 3 we still had our District of Sechelt utilizing supposedly Grey water for shrubs and flower pots to make our town pretty. I believe that water should have been utilized differently by donating the water to our local farmers and to the food banks garden for the low income families.
The other concern I have is the Nestle Company buying our water from our government at $2.25 per MILLION LITERS OF OUR WATER TO SELL BACK TO US AND OTHER COUNTRIES when we are in desperate need of our own water. They sell back our own tap water back to the BC residents and other at $2.25 and up per 500 ML/BOTTLE.
The other concern I have is the fact we have SMART water meters being implemented without the vote of our public community to have any say in the matter. Even though we are already paying in our land taxes to have water.
Where is the logic in that.
This is my concern.