Chapman system water clients are being asked to cut back use even further. The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) reduced the target level for system water use to 9.5 million litres per day, an Oct. 6 news release from its Emergency Operations Centre stated.
Despite the Aug. 31 ban on outdoor water use, the system did not get down to the SCRD’s previous daily target of 10 million litres per day on a consistent basis. The SCRD previously reported that Chapman system daily use dropped from around 14 million litres per day in August to between 11 and 10 million throughout September. Daily use statistics, included in the release showed that the 10 million mark was reached on Oct. 4, but on Oct. 5 use bounced back up to the 11 million litre level.
Warm, dry weather continues
The new target was introduced to help secure community water supply into early November, as reports from Environment Canada state that warm and dry weather in the area is forecast to continue.
While rain is reported to be on the way for Oct. 10, SCRD general manager of infrastructure Remko Rosenboon explained that the Chapman watershed needs about 100 millimetres of rain in a short period of time to sufficiently recharge. Between Aug.1 and Sept. 14 only 33 millimetres of rain fell at Chapman Lake and that has not been sufficient to affect its water levels.
Steps users can take
With the system use target reduced by five per cent, impacted households should aim to use less than 380 litres of water daily. Customers with water meters can sign up for a monthly report on their property's average daily water use at infrastructure@scrd.ca.
“Small changes such as halving shower times and running washes on full loads has the potential to make a big difference, if we all take these actions together,” the release states.
Edwards Lake siphon operating
The release also confirmed that water is being added to the system via the recently installed Edwards Lake siphon.
The SCRD also began posting video updates to YouTube on the water supply situation and drought response on Oct. 5. In the first installment, Rosenboom outlined that the EOC is meeting on a daily basis to help manage the situation and plan for future steps should the drought continue. He also thanked the community for its water conservation efforts and asked for those to be continued and stepped up. “Every drop matters at the moment,” he stated.
