Ask any farmers what the key ingredients to any agricultural project might be and chances are they’ll list access to clean water right near the top.
That’s a message not lost on the Regional District of Nanaimo, which had their Team Water Smart crew on hand at the Coombs Fair this weekend to pass along tips and information.
Julie Pisani was one of the team members working to get out the message about the need for clean water.
“We have some community outreach events going on and we have a kids event here where we are showing how water moves throughout the water cycle,” she said. “We also have informational brochures on things from alternatives to pesticides to things like collecting and harvesting rainwater and retrofitting your home with things like low-flow toilets.
That last one is probably more important than you might think, because toilets account for nearly 27 per cent of total indoor water use and, combined with showers and baths, the bathroom accounts for a whopping 61 per cent.
To conserve water around the garden, the RDN suggests only watering when the garden needs it and to keep in mind that a lawn only needs about one inch of water per week to remain healthy.
As well, planting native species that are adapted to the local rainfall patterns can help, as can mulching, which reduces evaporation.
For more information about Team Water Smart, visit www.teamwatersmart.ca.
