With the heat of summer here, the valley’s elected officials are asking residents to take the pledge to make water work.
Make Water Work is an effort by the Okanagan Basin Water Board’s Okanagan WaterWise program and local government and water utility partners to encourage outdoor water conservation during hot Okanagan summers, when most water is used.
Several valley mayors and councillors have taken the pledge.
“Some residents use less water, especially if they’re on a meter, but we still are using more than what is sustainable,” said Doug Findlater, OBWB chairperson.
“It’s for this reason we launched Make Water Work – to show that there are simple ways to save water and make it work more effectively and efficiently.”
The average Canadian uses 329 litres of water each day. In the Okanagan, the average is 675 litres when averaged out over the year. The summer average in the Okanagan climbs to almost 1,000 litres.
Twenty four per cent of all Okanagan Valley water is used by residents mostly on lawns and gardens.
There is less water available per person in the valley than anywhere else in Canada.
Make Water Work provides residents with tips to get the most from their water, such as watering between dusk and dawn to prevent evaporation, and putting where it’s needed – on plants, not pavement.
Many are simple tips that can make a huge difference, saving water for the things that matter to us most as residents of this valley – water for crops, for fish, and even firefighting.
Residents can take the pledge at www.MakeWaterWork.ca.
Anyone who takes the pledge is entered for a chance to win $5,000 in WaterWise yard upgrades.
