Water consumption in communities across Metro Vancouver remains high as the region continues to experience high and dry temperatures.
Metro Vancouver is asking all community members to limit outdoor water use and to only water lawns one day per week (Saturday or Sunday depending on house number).
“Metro Vancouver continues to experience unseasonably warm and dry weather since the end of April 2023, with very minimal precipitation,” Metro Vancouver staff said in a release.
“Although reservoir levels are still within the normal range for this time of year, the short-term weather forecast is showing a continuing trend of warm, dry weather and water consumption across the region continues to be over 20 per cent higher than the same period last year.”
On Wednesday, water consumption was at its highest for the week, with more than 1.56 billion litres of water used in Metro Vancouver.
“Successful conservation across the region will help us continue delivering drinking water to where it is needed the most – for drinking, cooking, and cleaning – and will reduce the likelihood of having to activate Stage 2 of the Drinking Water Conservation Plan, where lawn watering is banned,” Metro Vancouver said.
Metro Vancouver’s Drinking Water Conservation Plan is a regional policy developed with jurisdictions to manage the outdoor use of drinking water during periods of high demand.
Jurisdictions enforce the lawn watering regulations with fines ranging up to $250 per violation in Stage 1.
Metro Vancouver is a federation of 21 municipalities, one electoral area and one treaty First Nation that collaboratively plans for and delivers regional-scale services.
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