Lower Mainland at drought level 4, province warns of ‘water scarcity’
Posted August 10, 2021 5:41 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2021 6:00 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The ongoing dry weather in the Lower Mainland has gotten so bad the region is at a drought level 4.
B.C. ranks drought levels from 0 to 5, with five being the most severe.
The dry weather in the Lower Mainland is so bad, the region is at a drought level 4 (5 is the most severe). So, you’re being asked to help conserve water, meaning shorter, limit outdoor watering and don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth/doing the dishes.
— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) August 10, 2021
So, the province is asking everyone to help conserve water effective immediately until rain returns.
“Although some areas in the northern part of the province have recently received healthy showers that alleviated most dry conditions, the rainfall received in some southern areas has not had a considerable effect on water scarcity relief,” a statement from the province reads.
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“The scattered and short-term showers over the weekend may buffer drought effects, but are not enough for water systems to recover. The unseasonable heat and dry conditions forecast mid-week and lasting through the weekend will continue to exacerbate drought conditions for many southern areas.”
The South Coast, North and South Thompson, Lower Columbia, West Kootenay, Vancouver Island, and Gulf Islands basins are also all under drought level 4. T
The province is recommending people limit watering outdoors, take shorter showers, and consider planting drought-tolerant vegetation.
It also asks people to not use water during the heat of the day or when it is windy, and not to leave taps running.
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Heidi Walsh is Metro Vancouver’s director of watershed and environmental management. She says, this summer’s heat dome was responsible for an increase in water consumption.
“We’ve seen, just for this year, 25 per cent higher water usage in June than we did for the same time last year,” she says.
“We actually had 19 days between the end of June and the end of July where water consumption was over 1.5-billion litres which is really unusual for that time of year.”
– With files from Sonia Aslam and Marcella Bernardo
