Editor’s note: what follows is an unedited news release issued by the City of Parksville at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
On Thursday, July 9, the City of Parksville along with the Regional District of Nanaimo will move to a Comprehensive Watering Ban (Level 4 Water Conservation). The City of Parksville is in a drought situation and is experiencing a reduction in emergency water storage levels which could severely impact our ability to fight a large fire or, after using water resources to fight fire, impact our ability to meet water requirements for residents and businesses.
Level 4 – Comprehensive Watering Ban includes:
· All outdoor sprinkling is prohibited including newly seeded and sodded lawns.
· Vegetable gardens, shrubs, trees and flowers are restricted to a hand-held container or a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle. Drip-irrigation systems are allowed between 6 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 10 pm. (This does not include soaker, weeper hoses or micro-sprayers – drip irrigation only.)
· No washing of vehicles, RVs and boats.
· No washing of driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and exterior building surfaces.
· No filling of swimming pools, wading pools, hot tubs and garden pond water features.
This comprehensive watering ban is necessary due to extremely low water levels caused by the record-breaking dry weather conditions this spring and summer and the minimal snowpack which was just 3% of normal in early June and is now non-existent. At this time, Vancouver Island is ranked as “extremely dry” drought conditions by the province. Environment Canada is predicting higher than normal temperatures and lower than normal precipitation to continue well into the fall. With hotter temperatures and almost no precipitation in the forecast, there will be continued, unprecedented pressure on the water resources in our region.
Level 4 Water Conservation restrictions are intended to ensure the community receives an adequate supply of water throughout the summer months and also ensure sufficient reserves are available for emergency firefighting purposes. Additional water demands resulting from outdoor water use are the primary stressor on supply, which is why outdoor use is the target of this comprehensive ban.
With Level 4 watering restrictions, the City will strategically stop watering certain irrigated areas such as boulevards and traffic islands; however, major functional economic assets such as sports fields and significant trees will be preserved using the advanced and efficient irrigation system which is in place. Significant changes to parks operations will be made to reduce water required for irrigation while balancing the needs for recreational users, tourism and to maintain public safety. In the near future, consideration will be given to the possibility of a smoking ban in parks, the closure of some trails and other measures as may be necessary.
Detailed information is on City’s website at [Quicklinks/Water Conservation]. The City will continue to monitor water supply and advise should additional restrictions become necessary. The City’s website includes resource links, frequently asked questions and water conservation tips.
