To the Editor,
Re: Water conservation measures lack logic, Letters, July 14.
In these recent weeks of severe drought, several editorials and numerous letters to the editor have appeared, urging residents to conserve water.
At Canada Day celebrations in Maffeo Sutton Park, as part of our Council of Canadians display, I set up a Post-It note display inviting people to answer “What can I (we) do to use less water?” Seventy-seven adults and children responded. Here are some of their practical, creative ideas:
At home, don’t flush the toilet every time. Install low-flush toilets. Shower instead of bathing. Take shorter showers. Bathe together. Plug the tub when you shower and after, use the water to water your garden. (I tried this and was astonished that I used almost four gallons for my ‘short’ shower.) Wash dishes by hand. Put a basin in the sink to collect water used to rinse dishes, wash produce and cook veggies. This water can be used in the garden.
In the yard, don’t water lawns. Change to drip irrigation. Listen to water restriction rules. Have a rain barrel. Mulch gardens to conserve moisture.
In the community, have conversations. Stop giving our water to bottled-water companies. Conserving our environment will keep our water clear and drinkable.
Changing our habits is doable with a little time and practice.
Lynne AltonNanaimo
To the Editor,
Since the introduction of Level 2 watering restrictions, I have noticed that many residents have carefully been following the protocols.
It saddens me to see that at least one of our publicly funded institutions, Dover Bay Secondary School, does not appear to be aware of the need to conserve water. While I agree that playing fields should be watered to some degree, I do think that sprinklers should be adjusted to water the grass on the field rather than sending cascades of water down the paths and straight into the drains, without fulfilling any useful purpose. I understand that the school and the city have been notified of the problem. Could we see some action please?
Christine D. MaxwellNanaimo
