Staged watering restrictions helped the Coast stretch its potable water supply through drought conditions last year, and Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) directors are now considering tightening those restrictions, specifically around the watering of lawns.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell made a motion at the Jan. 14 infrastructure services committee meeting that staff investigate the option of a complete ban on lawn watering at Stage 2.
In an amendment to the motion, Halfmoon Bay director Garry Nohr added that he wanted staff to also consider reducing the amount of lawn watering allowed at Stage 2, rather than banning it altogether.
Currently Stage 2 watering restrictions allow the “sprinkling of lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables.”
Lebbell argued that lawns, landscaping and the growing of food should be separated out and that lawns should be treated differently.
“There’s a growing public acceptance that lawns are a less appropriate use for treated drinking water,” Lebbell said, noting the growing of food was a more suitable use for SCRD water.
“Are we having green lawns in June and July at the cost of beans and apples and vegetables in the fall?”
He said he would personally be in favour of a ban on lawn watering, but Nohr said he wanted to make sure residents’ wishes were reflected in any restriction change.
“I want to speak for the lawn people,” Nohr said. “If they’re going to be banned on Stage 2, I want a public consultation process that they get a chance to speak and don’t get shut down by a few vegetable garden people.”
Chief administrative officer Janette Loveys said public consultation wouldn’t take place until after directors read the staff report on the proposed changes and make a decision one way or another.
“It will be at that point that staff will engage in any public consultation,” Loveys said.
All were in favour of a report on the options coming to a future infrastructure services committee for more discussion.
