Watch above: The continuing dry conditions in central Saskatchewan are beginning to take a toll on residents and businesses around Saskatoon. Aaron Streck speaks to those affected and finds out how they’re coping.
SASKATOON – Last month was the driest May on record in Saskatoon, 0.4 millimetres of rain fell in total. This means Mother Nature hasn’t been helping in the watering department unlike past years and it’s starting to show.
In 2014, Early’s Farm and Garden purchasing manager Derek Bloski couldn’t give them away, this year he can barely keep sprinklers and hoses on the shelves.
“It’s a little bit of a challenge because when we buy and do our forecast obviously we do that based on the previous year or years prior, the one thing about the weather is you don’t have any control over it and you have to be able to read and react,” said Bloski.
If keeping your own lawn from dying of thirst is challenging, imagine how much water it takes to keep a golf course lush and in tip-top shape.
The Willows Golf and Country Club uses over a million gallons a night to cover 400 plus acres.
“The condition of the golf course isn’t as good as we would like it right now, we’ve had some failures to our irrigation system that’s kind of put us back a little bit, so of course it never happens when it’s raining, it always happens when you need it the most,” said golf course superintendent Wayne Sundstrom.
While it’s been quite the test for the superintendent, the dry conditions have also been great for business.
“I’ve been doing this for 25 years and every year has its challenges and it all seems to work out in the end and I’m expecting this to be the same way,” said Sundstrom.
READ MORE: Driest May on record may turn into warm, dry summer
On May 25, the City of Warman took initiative and introduced a voluntary outdoor watering policy, asking residents to water only on specific days.
“On certain days, we’re noticing that consumption of water has increased a lot specifically Sundays people tend to water their lawns catch up for the week get prepared,” said City of Warman economic development officer Josh Welz.
“And so what happens is that draws on our reservoir and overall residents would notice a reduced pressure in their system, so kind of in an effort once again to promote sustainability and conservation.”
Some communities in Saskatchewan have water restrictions in place and while consumption in Saskatoon has increased the past few weeks at this time restrictions aren’t expected as the city gets its water from the river.
READ MORE: Regina water conservation efforts still in full force
A little moisture is expected by the end of the week, according to Global’s Meteorologist Peter Quinlan.
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