The Comox Valley Water System will move to Stage 3 Water Restrictions beginning Friday, Sept. 7 at 8 a.m. until Friday, Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m., for annual maintenance and repair work at the Puntledge River generating station.
Fish screens will also be cleaned to help redirect salmon back to the river. At the conclusion of this maintenance period, the Comox Valley Water System will be returning to Stage 2 restrictions.
“During Stage 3 the Comox Valley water system will be supplying water to residents from the standby Puntledge pump station and we require this heightened restriction since this station is unable to meet peak demand as well as maintain flows for fire protection,” said general manager of Engineering Services, Marc Rutten. “Even with the ongoing dry conditions we haven’t had to move to Stage 3 yet this summer due to a healthy initial snowpack and the Puntledge River being a controlled water system managed by BC Hydro.”
These restrictions apply to the Town of Comox, City of Courtenay, and the Sandwick, Arden, Comox Valley, England Road, Marsden/Camco and Greaves Crescent Water Local Service Areas.
During Stage 3 water restrictions, residential lawn and garden watering with a sprinkler is not permitted at any time. Residents are also prohibited to pressure wash driveways and boulevards; fill a swimming pool, hot tub or garden pond; or wash a vehicle or boat (other than in a commercial car wash or car dealership).
A resident may:
• Water trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables on any day between the hours of 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. if watering is done by hand-held container or a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
• Water newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by hand-held container or a hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle during installation and at any time during the following 24 hours after installation is completed.
• Use micro-irrigation or drip-irrigation systems to water trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables on any day between the hours of 6-8 a.m. and 8-10 p.m.
• Water all-weather playing fields at any time, but only if failure to do so will result in a permanent loss of plant material.
• Use water to wash sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, exterior windows, or exterior building surfaces, but only if necessary for applying a product such as paint, preservative, and stucco, preparing a surface prior to paving or repointing bricks, or if required by law to comply with health or safety regulations.
For more details about Stage 3 water restrictions visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/restrictions
