The extremely low snowpack in the mountains has brought the issue of climate change and the need for water conservation to mind for many Coasters, and the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) wants to capitalize on that.
“The snowpack is nowhere near what we’re used to seeing at this time of year,” said SCRD general manager of infrastructure services Bryan Shoji, who noted some reports show snowpack is down 85 per cent in the South Coast region from years past. “We don’t really measure the snowpack here, but usually the snow at this time of year is still over the gate at the Tetrahedron, and right now it’s bare gravel.”
While the snowpack is concerning on an environmental front, it’s not detrimental to the Coast’s water supply, Shoji said, adding Sunshine Coast watersheds are mainly rainfall dependent and full at this moment.
However, the fact the community is taking notice and asking questions makes right now the perfect time to pitch water conservation.
“We want people to get into the practice of not using a lot of water. That’s the message we want to get out there,” Shoji said, adding it takes time to change habits and if people start now, conservation could become second nature by the time summer hits.
In the summer months, the Coast’s watershed gets the least amount of rainfall, yet consumption of water doubles and sometimes triples, which can lead to water shortages, as seen in 2012.
To combat the issue, the SCRD has developed four stages of water restrictions that limit when and how people can water their gardens, but Shoji said Coasters can act now to help stave off the need for restrictions.
Some suggestions include: purchasing drought tolerant plants when designing gardens this year, finding and repairing household leaks before the drier months hit and setting up a rain barrel for outside watering.
Residents can also take advantage of the SCRD’s toilet rebate program, which gives $200 toward the replacement of old toilets with low flow ones.
Simple daily changes such as turning off the water when brushing teeth or taking shorter showers can also make a big impact with minimal effort.
The SCRD water system serves more than 25,000 people and if everyone makes a little change it will help a lot, Shoji said.
To find out more about the Coast’s water supply and ways to lower your water consumption, go to www.scrd.ca/water-conservation.
