Every drop counts! Many areas in BC are facing drier than normal conditions leading to low water availability. The Province of BC has written to local governments in the Upper Columbia basin, requesting a voluntary reduction of water use in their jurisdictions.
With this in mind, we are reminding residents to comply with the Town’s mandatory water restrictions already in place, lessening the impact on the local water supply and pumping capacity during peak times. The Province noted that mandatory restrictions on water may be necessary should conditions worsen.
The Town of Golden’s water restrictions are as follows:
What days can you water?
- Odd numbered addresses are to water on odd days
- Even numbered addresses are to water on even days.
Only water during these times on your designated days:
- In the morning between 4 and 10 a.m.
- In the evening between 7 and 10 p.m.
Do you have an automatic irrigation system? If it's on a timer it must be set to water between midnight and 6 a.m. on the appropriate days of the week.
In addition to following water restrictions, here are some tips for inside and outside your home to conserve water:
Indoor Tips:
- Check your toilet for leaks! Did you know a leaky toilet can waste as much as 4,500 litres of water per day? That’s 135,000 litres of water a month! To check for leaks, put a little food colouring into your toilet tank and let it sit for 15 minutes. If the colour appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately.
- Take shorter showers. A typical shower can use 20-40 litres of water a minute! Cutting back on your showers just by a couple minutes can save water.
- Install water efficient toilets and fixtures. Save water by installing low or dual flush toilets, low-flow showerheads and faucets and faucet aerators.
- Turn off the tap! Don’t let the tap run continuously when washing, brushing your teeth or shaving.
- Toilets are not for trash! Items such as flushable wipes, paper towels, reinforced paper towels or hygiene related products belong in the waste basket, not the toilet.
Outdoor Tips:
- Let grass grow! Let grass grow to a height of 2.5 inches. Taller grass shades new growth and reduces evaporation.
- Use your grass clippings. Grass clippings are a valuable organic source of nutrients, especially nitrogen, so leave them on the lawn after mowing to help your grass grow greener, healthier and thicker
- Plant wisely. Group plants according to their watering needs. Consider plant species that are indigenous to the area. They have adapted to the local climate conditions and require little water to grow.
- Avoid evaporation: Water over smaller areas! When a sprinkler is set to cover a large area, up to half of the water could be lost to evaporation before it even hits the ground.
- Use mulch: Mulch acts as a protective cover around plants. It keeps soil cool and moist, and discourages weed growth. Organic mulches work best. Use straw, leaves, bark or wood chips and avoid using rocks as they retain heat, increasing the need for water.
For more tips and information about water conservation, visit golden.ca/waterconservation
To learn more about the Province of BC’s response to drought conditions, visit https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/drought