Port Hardy residents using 20% more water after water restrictions imposed

Water usage in the District of Port Hardy has shot up since water conservationrestrictions came into effect, according to Mayor Pat Corbett-Labatt.

Last Wednesday,Port Hardy was placed under Stage 3 water restrictions. But since then, water usage has increased by 20 per cent.

It comes as much of B.C. faces drought.

"It makes me feel a little bit sad and disappointed," said Corbett-Labatt. "It's obviously a big concern to the district."

Corbett-Labatt says with recent nice weather, people may be using more water recreationally, including filling up swimming pools or gardening.

She is urging residents to be more intentional in their water use.

"Right now, we have to band together and support everybody," she said.

People in the district arecurrentlyprohibited from washing their vehicles, boats, housesor pressure washing of any kind. Filling fountains, pools, and hot tubs is also not allowed.

Lawn watering can only be done by hand between 7 and 9 a.m. or 8 and 10 p.m.

While water restrictions are normal for the district during the summer, Corbett-Labatt says it is unusually early to have reached Stage 3 water restrictions at this time.

She said this May, they received 8.9 mm of rain, compared to 126 mm in May of last year. And June only brought 31 mm, compared to 71 mm last June.

"We're in drought. And it's hard for long-term residents to realize that and accept that the weather has changed," said Corbett-Labatt.

Water saving tips

Darren Bond, a volunteer with the Hornby Water Stewardship project, says there are many simple ways households can conserve water.

A quick and effective way to reduce water usage is to fix water leaks from taps in and outside of the home.

"If you've got a tap that's dripping, that can really add up to a lot of water in pretty short order," he said on CBC's On The Island.

Drought-stricken B.C. residents stressed by another potential water crisis

1 year ago

Duration 2:06

Drought-stricken residents of B.C.'s Sunshine Coast are taking extreme conservation measures before another summer that could involve severe water restrictions. It's all leading to stress and a sense of doom among some residents.

And Bond says although many areas have restrictions on outdoor water, those who want to continue watering their gardens can reuse water.

People can collect rainwater in barrels ora cistern and can also collect leftover shower water or evencooking water to use in their gardens.

Within the home, Bond says people can conserve water by showering briefly, doing laundry and flushing toilets only when necessary, and turning the tap off when not in use while showering and brushing teeth.

For those who prefer cold water, keeping a jug in the fridge can help people avoidwasting runningwater while waiting for it to get cold.