The public will have a chance to review a draft 25-year regional water plan that proposes universal metering and mandatory stage 2 and 3 watering restrictions until 2015 to reduce the cost of system expansion by $7 million.
The plan, which takes in the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) water service area but excludes Pender Harbour, proposes spending $30.5 million over 10 years to increase the Chapman Creek source supply, expand the water treatment plant and upgrade distribution for Chapman and smaller systems within the area.
Smaller systems represent a total of 648 connections in Langdale, Soames Point, Granthams Landing, Eastbourne, Cove Cay and Egmont.
The cost would also include $5.3 million to install universal water metering and $1.3 million for reading, data entry and billing, as well as $180,000 to implement and enforce watering restrictions.
"While the initial cost is high, lower demands will not only reduce long-term infrastructure upgrade requirements but will also allow deferment of infrastructure upgrades in the short term," says the plan's executive summary, presented to the SCRD's infrastructure services committee on April 4.
The cost savings from metering and other conservation measures are highlighted in the plan, which estimates the total cost for upgrades to the Chapman system would be $43.3 million under current practices and $36.3 million if the proposed changes were implemented.
The SCRD is reviewing its drought management plan in tandem with the regional water plan and is looking to change the hours when sprinkling is banned, said Bryan Shoji, SCRD general manager of infrastructure services.
The changes would reduce the watering time allowed under stage 1 while making the rules less confusing, and would substitute morning watering for the current evening schedule allowed under stage 2 restrictions, Shoji said.
Under stage 3 restrictions, watering of lawns is banned outright while only watering cans or containers can be used on gardens.
The mandatory stage 2 and 3 restrictions are no more than a proposal at this stage, Shoji said.
"This is suggested. That's what the whole consultation plan is about - to get the public's feedback," he said, noting the $7-million cost difference between status quo usage and the conservation model outlined in the report.
"The question everyone needs to ask themselves is: Do you want to spend all this money on infrastructure to have a green lawn?"
SCRD directors agreed to hold two public open houses to receive input on the plan after rejecting a proposal from staff to hold one central meeting.
"One single event does not represent our vision statement. We are a community of communities," said West Howe Sound director Lee Turnbull.
"Field Road is the 50 per cent line, so let's have one in the Gibsons area and one further up the Coast," Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis suggested.
No date is set for the two sessions but Shoji said he expects them to be held before the end of the month.
