In recent years, water users on the Sunshine Coast have shown a remarkable willingness to conserve water during the dry summer months.
In 2012, the year of the “worst drought on record,” consumption dropped by almost 50 per cent after Stage 3 restrictions were enacted on Sept. 10.
Last year, which was worse than 2012, water use dropped by 40 per cent after Stage 3 was declared much earlier in the summer, on July 10.
The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) praised those conservation efforts at the time. The public had come through in a big way, with individuals making real sacrifices on behalf of the greater good.
This week the SCRD declared Stage 3 restrictions, effective Aug. 26, after a rather lukewarm response to Stage 2. While the SCRD was hoping to see daily usage go down to 15 million litres per day, consumption was holding steady at about 20 million litres.
We expect to see consumption drop significantly now that Stage 3 is here, but we also suspect the enthusiasm for water conservation has been dampened by the SCRD’s handling of last year’s water crisis and, in particular, the board’s subsequent indifference to strong public opposition to the $5.5-million water meter project.
The aim of water metering is to see consumption reduced by 25 per cent. Critics dispute that projection, but even so, water users have demonstrated repeatedly that they can cut back as much as double that amount, voluntarily, by simply being asked to when the supply goes down. At other times it shouldn’t matter because, for about eight months of the year, water is plentiful in these parts.
It’s therefore understandable that some people feel their past efforts have been taken for granted and that, if they’re soon going to be charged for water based on daily consumption, they might as well consume as much as they want to before metering kicks in.
Of course, we don’t condone such an attitude, and we urge everyone to adhere to Stage 3 restrictions. It’s worth noting, however, that there has been some evaporation of goodwill and solidarity when it comes to water conservation on the Sunshine Coast, for which the SCRD has to shoulder the blame.
