Editor:
One year into our full-time residency here and, surprisingly, we received another letter from the SCRD this June about a water leak in our middle-aged house or on our property. A January warning about above-average consumption was ignored as we were in the midst of finishing numerous repairs to water lines and fixtures. The second letter set off alarm bells.
Instead of being smug thinking the meter or SCRD must be wrong, we re-inspected lines and did a closer investigation of data. Alas, we found a seldom-used toilet had an unknown, marginal trickle. We shut off the water to the toilet and set about replacing the entire toilet flushing mechanism. We then tracked usage over the past month and found we are now under, not over, the average daily use.
As relative newcomers, we are shocked at the severity of the lack of water here on the Coast, but are adapting and using meter readings to do so. We since purchased two large water containers to store roof/gutter water for exterior use in times of drought like now and in the future.
Our point here? We have the SCRD to thank for providing the impetus for us to check into our own water use. This is the leadership we need from our local regional district and the direction we all need to take.
We cannot wait for all users on the Coast to be on meters – although the sooner meters are in use throughout the Coast the better off we will all be, as it will prevent a lot of unknown water waste. Yes, we still need to increase our water sources and resources, but conservation is something within reach of all of us. We can and should do routine checks using the tools in front of our homes – water meters. For those of us with them, it is easy to track our own water use. For those without meters, hurry up and join the rest of us.
Pam and Randy LaBonte, Halfmoon Bay
