The Province is reminding British Columbians to cut back on their unnecessary water usage as much of Southern BC is experiencing some level of drought.
Most of the Cariboo region falls under the Middle Fraser basin region, which is currently in ‘Drought Level 3’.
Carmen Hankins, Water Stewardship Officer with the Ministry of Forest, Lands, and Natural Resource Development says “Drought Level 3 refers to a level of drought that could have adverse impacts, which include but are not limited to socioeconomic and aquatic ecosystems values, such as agricultural fisheries and wildlife values.”
The province says all users in affected areas need to reduce their water use wherever possible and observe all watering restrictions from their local/regional government, water utility provider, or irrigation district.
The province provided these water tips for conserving water at home:
- Limit outdoor watering
- Do not water during the heat of the day or when it is windy
- Consider planting drought-tolerant vegetation
- Take shorter showers
- Do not leave taps running
- Install water-efficient showerheads, taps, and toilets
On the farm:
- Implement an irrigation scheduling program using real-time weather data
- Schedule irrigation to match crop needs and soil storage capacity
- Improve water system efficiencies and check for leaks
- Focus on high-value crops and livestock
In industry:
- Reduce non-essential water use
- Recycle water used in industrial operations
- Use water-efficient methods and equipment