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East side water restrictions cautiously expanded
After temporary, graduated restrictions were introduced for the East Side Lake Windermere Water Service area four weeks ago, regular watering hours will be back in effect in early August.
“During the heat wave at the beginning of July, we noted a sharp increase in consumption within the East Side Water Service area to the extent that our water treatment plant was running 23 hours a day and was having difficulty keeping up with the demand,” explained Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Engineering Services Manager, Brian Funke. “The month-long restrictions were due to extreme heat, and to curb overuse of water on a system that has a finite volume of water. Our consumption has returned to a more reasonable level and we will be returning to our regular watering hours following the long weekend.”
Starting August 3, even-numbered houses will be able to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays while odd-numbered houses will be able to water Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays during the following hours:
Manual Sprinklers: 6-10 a.m. OR 7-11 p.m.
Automatic Sprinklers: 3 – 8 a.m.
“I do want to stress that watering in moderation and being mindful of water use is still critical,” added Funke. “If we see consumption skyrocket once again, we will have no choice but to go back to more stringent watering hours.”
On June 30, the RDEK issued a temporary request for no outdoor watering of lawns. Starting July 13, watering was permitted one day per week.
Over the next few months, the RDEK will be working on a Master Plan that will assess the water system’s capacity, demand, optimization, and recommend potential upgrades for water production.
The East Side Water Service Area includes the communities of Windermere, Timber Ridge, Timber Heights, Baltac, Akiskinook, Calberley Beach, Swansea, Pedley Heights and East Side.
RDEK
