Low rainfall and warm temperatures have resulted in Stage 3 water consumption targets being exceeded most of July and August.
“The demand over the last months has been varying between 13,000 and 16,000 cubed metres per day with the maximum daily temperature and the timing of rain events being the major factors influencing the demand on a daily basis,” said Remko Rosenboom, general manager of infrastructure services, in an email to Coast Reporter.
“The current demand can still be supplied by drawing down Chapman Lake while Edwards Lake is ready to be used as a source if required.”
The target for Stage 3 outdoor water restrictions is 12 million litres per day. Last week’s average water use was 14 million litres per day.
While July provided some rain relief, dryer weather is expected into September, said Rosenboom on Tuesday. “The weather forecast for our region calls for a limited amount of rain for overnight and tomorrow and nothing for the upcoming weeks. The long-range forecast calls for a continuation of the current summer temperatures at least until the second half of September.”
Rosenboom could not say whether Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions would be called in the next few weeks, but said staff would continue to “monitor and respond to the supply and demand situation on a daily basis and revise the water conservation stages accordingly.”
The Pender Harbour water systems remain at Stage 1, while Langdale, Soames and Eastbourne water systems are at Stage 2. Stage 3 applies everywhere else, including the Town of Gibsons’ Zone 3. Zone 1 and 2 remain at Stage 2.
