Water Conservation Guidelines recommended May 1 – October 15
Water Conservation Guidelines are recommended for all Municipal water systems. Please see below for the Stage recommended for each water system.
Stage 1: None at this time.
Stage 2: None at this time.
Stage 3: None at this time.
Stage 4: None at this time.
Bowen Island Municipality’s Water Conservation Guidelines are based on the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Conservation plan in order to encourage water conservation and promote awareness.
The guidelines define four levels of water conservation for users of Municipal drinking water systems. Stage 1 is recommended by default between May 1 and October 15.
These guidelines are intended to manage demand for drinking water during the summer months, and if necessary during times of emergencies. This is important because:
rainfall is lower and demand is higher in the summer
climate change is affecting rainfall frequency and intensity
storage capacity is limited
water shortages may result from unforeseen emergency situations such as earthquakes
The guidelines are voluntary, and we encourage water users on the island to support the conservation of our drinking water by following them. Private well users will also benefit from these guidelines.
The recommended water conservation stage is posted and updated regularly on the Municipality’s Alerts and Advisories webpage. We may occasionally recommend increased stages of water conservation in specific water systems depending on the source and storage levels for that system.
Creative water conservation methods for all Bowen Island Municipal water systems
Bowen Island’s water comes from rainfall collected in the aquifers and water sheds. We do not have a unlimited amount of water. Please read the following water conservation methods for all Municipal Water Systems. By helping conserve water, we can all minimize the impact on our environment and make our water systems more sustainable.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean the driveway and sidewalk. A hose uses 23 litres/minute.
Use a bucket of soapy water to wash your car and use the hose only for rinsing.
Wash your car using soap and water from a bucket. The hose uses 23 litres/minute, but using a bucket saves you at least 2 minutes’ worth of water (46 litres).
Water the garden during early morning or evening hours when temperatures are cooler to avoid evaporation.
Grow the grass at least 2 to 3 inches. Taller grass shades new growth and reduces evaporation.
An hour of sprinkling uses about 1300 litres of water.
Use a Rain Barrel to collect free water from your roof for your garden.
When you’re craving a cool glass of water, don’t run the faucet until the water gets cold. Try keeping a jug of water in the fridge. This way you can have a cold glass of water whenever you like!
Remove weeds in your lawn and garden. This reduces competition for water while making the rest of the yard look great!
Plant a water wise garden, which contains plants that need little water and can cope with long dry spells. Placing mulch in your garden is also a good way to conserve water. It reduces erosion and discourages weeds. Spread grass clippings or other mulch materials around the base of plants and shrubs.
Reduce your shower by 5 minutes. This can save up to 100 litres of water.
You can take steps to protect your water supply and to deal with a dry well. Below are some suggestions for private well-users to avoid unpleasant surprises and have peace of mind:
Check your water level, if you haven’t already
Consider speaking to a qualified local water technician about installing a well depth monitor to notify you when your well reaches a lower-than-normal level
Work with one of the local water companies or a group of neighbours to coordinate tanker truck deliveries or create communal pump and storage systems
Consider purchasing a storage tank that will work in coordination with the natural recharge capacity of your well and will help to protect you from sudden water outages
Remember that water quality and characteristics can be affected when the water table changes drastically, this may be a first indicator that water levels are low
Talk to neighbours, especially if you are on a shared well or a shared aquifer, to agree on water conservation strategies and share updates on the level of the well
Learn more tips about being “Wellsmart” at WellSmart or look in the Bowen Phone Book under “Water Systems”
Read some more suggestions for conserving water here.
Drought Conditions
Drought is a recurrent feature of climate involving a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, resulting in a water shortage. For the latest information, see the Drought Information Portal.
