On September 13, all RDN water service areas as well as City of Parksville, North Cedar Improvement District and EPCOR French Creek service areas will return to Stage 2 watering restrictions. This follows three months of Stage 3 heightened watering restrictions that had been in effect since June 13. Drought conditions began early this spring with low snowpack accumulation, early snowmelt, low spring precipitation and early onset hot weather. These conditions are less acute now as cooler fall temperatures have arrived with intermittent rain.
Stage 2 Watering Restrictions allow sprinkling every other day based on odd and even house numbers, between 7–10 AM or PM for a maximum of 2 hours per day. Hand watering and drip irrigation are permitted anytime, as is vegetable garden watering. Stage 2 will remain in effect until October 1 when Stage 1 watering restrictions (watering any day between 7 PM–7 AM) will take effect. All watering restrictions will be lifted on November 1.
The RDN would like to thank its water customers for adhering to the watering restrictions as an important measure to ensure efficient outdoor water use when our water resources are most stressed due to drought conditions. These measures help conserve water supply for fire protection, essential indoor use and aquatic habitat.
To learn more about watering restrictions in the region, visit www.rdn.bc.ca/watering-restriction-map. For drought information updates, please see the Provincial Drought Portal.