Residents in the Peterborough area are advised to continue water conservation efforts by reducing their water use by 10 per cent.
The Otonabee Conservation’s water response team says persistent high temperatures, precipitation deficits and poor streamflow will mean a Level 1 low water status will remain in effect for the Otonabee Region watershed until further notice.
Dan Marinigh, chief administrative officer for Otonabee Conservation, says in May the flow rate of Jackson Creek was 86 per cent less than usual. The pattern continued in June (46 per cent) and July (33 per cent).
Rural watersheds are also flowing at below normal rates. Marinigh noted the Ouse River in rural Asphodel-Norwood east of Peterborough was 56 per cent list of the historical average.
“Water is a shared resource and we all have a part to play in water conservation,” he said.
Otonabee Conservation suggests that water conservation become part of a person’s daily routine and offers the following tips:
- Reduce by watering wisely and adhere to municipal watering restrictions that may apply
- Repair leaks in the bathroom or kitchen promptly
- Retrofit fixtures to more water-efficient standards
Marinigh says that the Otonabee Region Water Response Team is scheduled to meet in early September and will review the current situation.