Zones one and two in the Town of Gibsons will not be returning to Stage 4 water restrictions this year, even if the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) re-implements restrictions at any point in 2015.
The decision was made at the Sept. 1 council meeting after a motion by Coun. Silas White was amended through open discussion between staff and councillors.
“The motion, as amended, is that until Dec. 31, 2015 the Town of Gibsons residents in zones one and two be exempted by the Town from Stage 4 water restrictions,” corporate officer Selina Williams said. “And that staff report back with a proposed draft [drought] management plan no later than March 31, 2016.”
The second part of the motion is for the Town to endeavour to supply zone three with non-potable water for trees, shrubs and flowers. In addition, Town staff will look into the viability of extending aquifer water to zone three.
“The essence of what I was trying to get at with this motion is that water zones one and two are not SCRD water,” White said. “It’s the Town of Gibsons water system, and therefore, if we have to impose restrictions, those would be our restrictions and not the SCRD’s.”
The SCRD announced a return to Stage 3 water restrictions effective Friday, Sept. 4 after 200 mm of rain fell in Chapman Lake over the past week. However, Stage 4 could be re-implemented by the SCRD if dry weather continues into the fall.
White pointed out that the community in Gibsons has expressed dissatisfaction with being put on water restrictions that are tied to Chapman Lake, which doesn’t affect the aquifer.
“I definitely recognize the concern with water zone three being treated differently from one and two, and that’s why there’s a part of this motion to endeavour to supply water zone three as much as possible,” White said.
The amended motion was carried unanimously.
