With hot, dry weather and demand for water outpacing supply, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has upgraded its drought management plan to stage two, meaning heightened restrictions on outdoor water use.
Level two restrictions limit sprinkling to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. for even numbered houses and Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. for odd numbered houses. The restriction also bans using hoses to wash sidewalks and driveways.
SCRD management upgraded to level two last week after the second time this summer the water supply from the Chapman Creek water treatment plant has been drained to dangerously low levels.
"[The reservoirs] weren't replenishing to where we'd like to see them. The water plant was sending out 28 million litres a day and that's not sustainable to keep the reservoirs," said Dave Crosby, manager of utilities and services for the SCRD. "The plant is basically at its maximum capacity."
Waterworks staff approached Crosby last week and warned that if the SCRD did not take action to slow down water consumption, the reserves would be less than 50 per cent full by Monday (July 27).
Crosby said upgrading the restrictions was a good step as it did allow the reserves to catch up over the weekend
"We certainly did see the change over the weekend. Having the reservoir full on Monday was a breath of fresh air for our operators," he said.
Crosby said Saturday's thunderstorm added about a day's worth of water to the supply, but it quickly receded.
Keeping the reservoirs full for human use isn't the only concern. As the reserves and the treatment plant dry up, so does Chapman Creek, and it puts the fish and the Chapman Creek Fish Hatchery at risk.
"We try to maintain a certain level in the creek for the hatchery and the fish. We were getting down to our trigger point for releasing water, so we flew to [Chapman] Lake late this morning [July 28]," Crosby said.
Crosby said residents should continue to practise water conservation, including refraining from washing cars and boats and being cautious about their daily use.
Dayton Skei, water conservation assistant for the SCRD, has been spending his summer teaching people about water conservation and handing out fines for repeat offenders of the bylaw. He has seen the increased demand for water firsthand and said water shortages would be avoidable if residents followed the rules.
"If everyone followed the restrictions, then we wouldn't have too many of these issues, but until that behaviour changes, we're going to have to keep upgrading the sprinkler restrictions," he said.
"We charge $50 per offence. Usually people are pretty good and we give them a warning first. If we have to go back, then a fine will most likely occur."
He cautioned that keeping the reserves at safe levels isn't an issue just for personal consumption. It is also an issue of fire safety.
"Pretty much we're just trying to keep enough water for forest fires because it is pretty dry out there as well. The key message is: as long as people use water at the right time and don't abuse the system, we won't have these issues," Skei said.
