Kelowna

Kelowna City Council has adopted a drought management plan which puts city water users on an odd/even watering schedule.

The Kelowna water utility services more than 50,000 residents and more than 1,700 industrial, commercial and institutional properties in north, central and south Kelowna.

The drought management plan, adopted by the Joint Water Committee in 2009, kicks in June 1st.

On that day, the city will institute stage 1 water restrictions.

Stage 1 restrictions, which kick in during a mild drought, require all city water customers to follow odd/even watering patterns with no sprinkling on the 31st of the month. Underground sprinklers are restricted to operating between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on the applicable date while manual watering is allowed between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and midnight.

Odd/even watering means properties with addresses ending in an odd number can water on odd numbered days while those ending in even numbers can only water on even numbered days.

Parks, golf courses and agricultural properties are asked to reduce watering volumes by 10%.

"I was surprised to see that the allotment would allow golf courses to use as much water in a drought situation as we would agriculture," says Councillor Angela Reid.

"The question begs to be asked why would we allow golf courses, in a drought situation, to use the same amount of water as agriculture. I recognize there is a difference in how those two industries contribute to our economy, but one provides food and one provides pleasure."

Utility Services Manager, Don Degen, told council that both provide a value to the community "and, that's where we landed."

Reid also indicated that she believes communication will be a key component in making sure the plan works effectively.

Degen says a communication plan is being put together which will include the utility newsletter and website as well as other measures determined by the city communications department.

Stage 1 restrictions will be in effect during the entire irrigation season June 1 to September 30.

Degen says the city will rely on Mission Creek water flow as a trigger point to determine whether the water restriction stage needs to be raised or lowered.

"We are getting specific information from the province that is going to set that criteria for us. For example, if the Mission Creek levels (these are hypothetical numbers) were to drop from 70 cubic metres a second to 60 cubic metres a second, that may represent a trigger point that would take us from a stage 1 to a different stage," adds Degen.

"We need to have that criteria established to be able to do that. We are going to use stream inflow for our utility to make that change."

Degen says the plan will allow for a smooth transition from one stage to another.

Mayor Sharon Shepherd says the city needs to lead by example.

At the present time, the city waters parks anywhere between three times a week and daily, depending on what type of a park it is.

Degen says class one park, including high profile parks, beach parks and sports fields are watered as required, class two parks, including community parks are watered five days a week while class three parks, including cul-de-sacs and green spaces are watered three times a week.

"The city should lead by example and I think that's where we are going to get criticism when we are watering five times a week," says Shepherd.

"I know our parks are essential and I know the turf is important but people have spent a lot of money on their properties and so trying to be sure we are doing the same as we expect the public to do is important."

Shepherd says she hopes the city can work towards watering even the large parks and sports fields every second day.

While most on council were supportive of the restrictions, councillor Andre Blanleil was not.

Blanleil says he believes this will be a disaster for the public, especially when it comes to programming an irrigation timer.

"Most people can hardly program their VCR's or DVD players," says Blanleil, who believes timed irrigation systems are not practical for every second or every third day watering.

"Besides, if you water every day for five minutes, every other day for 20 minutes or every third day for 25 minutes is there any difference in usage of water?"

Degen says Rutland Waterworks, which has been utilizing odd/even watering for about 20 or 25 years says their total consumption is down.

He says it will reduce the peak consumption period and says they will have to wait and see if overall consumption is reduced.

As for enforcement, Degen says they hope to educate people through water smart and with people on the ground.

He says the bylaw is the ultimate tool.

Video Report by Kelly Hayes