Water restrictions are coming to 100 Mile House on May 1.
Last week the District of 100 Mile House announced they’ll be implementing limits on how much residents of the town can water their lawns. Mayor Maureen Pinkney said they’re making this decision due to the low snowpack and the current drought most of B.C. is facing.
“It’s not unusual to do water restrictions. We try to be responsible with the water that we put out because we treat all the water and it’s a costly process,” Pinkney explained. “We always want people to be as water-conscious as possible. The whole province is low but our particular region in the Chilcotin-Cariboo is even lower than most of B.C. So we’re trying to be very proactive and make sure our water sources last the whole year.”
Starting in May even-numbered properties will only be allowed to water their gardens on even-numbered days from 6 a.m. to 9 am. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Likewise, odd-numbered properties will only be allowed to do the same on odd-numbered days during the same times.
Those found in violation of these restrictions can be fined $50 per infraction by the district’s bylaw officer. Pinkney said further water restrictions may be imposed depending on how long drought conditions persist. She noted that the 108 Mile Ranch has already limited watering your lawn to two hours a day.
Pinkney said it’s possible the town’s lawns won’t be as green this year and that parts of Centennial Park will go brown but it’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make short term. She noted that the district will continue to water the soccer fields used by the 100 Mile House and District Soccer Association, as those fields are on a sand base and they’d lose the grass otherwise.
While 100 Mile House does get its water from underground aquifers, those rely on snowmelt and rain to replenish over time. Pinkney noted that this year the region received very little snow and there’s been almost no rain this spring. Though the district believes they’re tapped into a large aquifer, it is 600 feet underground so they can’t exactly check its levels.
“We know Horse Lake is down quite a bit this year and that is our other possible water source so we have to be aware of where we’re sitting,” Pinkney said. “We’re just going to do everything we can to make sure we’re not stressing our water systems and we hope people do the same.”
Pinkney encourages community members to think about ways they can conserve water this summer. This can include fixing a leaky faucet, taking shorter showers and reducing frivolous water use.
“We appreciate everyone going along (with the restrictions) and doing their part. It’s a community effort here,” Pinkney remarked. “We’re a little bit ahead of the game, we don’t usually put it out this early, but considering the whole provincial issue of it I think we’re doing the right thing and getting ahead of it.”