Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 06, 2010 6:00 PM
Greater Vernon residents are being given a chance to fill pools and landscape, but regulations may tighten up again. Stage three water restrictions remain in place, but on Wednesday, the North Okanagan Regional District board decided to defer enforcement for two weeks pending further evaluation of water quantity in the area. “This sets the restrictions aside so people can do business and we can get input and come up with something that makes sense,” said director Wayne Lippert. Residents are still urged to keep conservation in mind over the next two weeks, and there is the prospect that some form of stage three could return.
“It’s very possible but I don’t see it for Kalamalka Lake,” said Lippert, pointing out that 75 per cent of utility customers use that water source and Kal Lake has sufficient supply. “With Duteau Creek, we recognize the upland reservoirs are a concern. Level three restrictions could be on that source.” Stage three restrictions have generated numerous public concerns since they were implemented two weeks ago. Most contentious was a ban on filling swimming pools. “Pools do not use as much water as people perceive,” Lee Kazmar, with Pools, Ponds and Waterscapes, told the board. Kazmar insists pools use far less water than lawn sprinkling, and residents want flexibility when it comes to the six hours of water they are allowed under stage three. Directors also heard from Bonnie Leibel, with Lavington Turf Farm, which has seen its business drop 50 per cent since the restrictions came in. “We’re not selling turf because people don’t think turf is a good thing to plant right now,” she said. Leibel also says communications regarding stage three were poor. “We should have been consulted with,” she said.
The decision to defer enforcement of stage three restrictions for two weeks was made because of recent precipitation, the current status of Kalamalka Lake and the fact that water is spilling over the headgates on Duteau Creek. NORD officials are still concerned about this year’s water supply, with reservoir and snowpack levels being the lowest in 40 years. “We are going into a drought year and while Kal is good now, it may not be in good shape later,” said director Mike Macnabb. That view is also supported by director Mike Gavinchuk. “What happens in July or August if there’s no additional water?” he said. “Let’s not think we’re set for the rest of the year.”
Also on Wednesday, the board decided to add broad community representation to its drought management team and that it provide recommendations on restrictions as soon as possible. Staff has also been directed to develop a plan towards water restrictions that mitigates the effect on all users.
2 comments:
Wow Mike McNabb is a weather forcaster and a water supply expert now! I had asked him about when plans were going to happen to raise up the Aberdeen dam to store more water during average to above years rather than "spill" the water and store it for drier years. He laughed at me and said that would never work. A quick search through on the net and emails to GVW would have showed him that this has been identified as the #1 place to store more water and we already have the water license in place. I think he should research his answers before he ticks off a taxpayer and voter.
So Wayne thinks that because Kal Lake is reasonably okay, the customers of Vernon can use it like a regular year? Guess he doesn't realize that the water system is not segregated like that. It'll be interesting to see the political fallout if Vernon residents are playing in their pools while Coldstream residents and 25% of his population has to buy bottled water to drink. You are making your bed, Wayne. Hope you can sleep in it.
Post a Comment