On May 1, water systems across the Cowichan Valley Regional District collectively implemented Stage 1 water restrictions in an effort to conserve water use on residential properties and ensure aquifers and lakes can withstand the increasingly dry summers.
Local governments and water purveyors across the Cowichan region continue to collaborate on water restriction stages to ensure they balance the needs of residents and those of the watersheds, in recognition of the extreme drought conditions experienced in recent summers.
“Unfortunately, we’re once again faced with low levels of winter and spring seasonal precipitation across the region,” said Todd Etherington, the CVRD’s manager of utility operations.
“It looks like for many of our water systems in the Cowichan, we could be facing record low levels, and we want to ensure residents are aware of the potential need to elevate restriction levels even earlier than what we’ve done collectively in recent years.”
Visit the New Normal Cowichan website to learn more about the updated stages of water-use restrictions, including a water-restrictions map to find the current stage of restrictions on each water system in the region.
As in 2023, movement between water restriction stages in the Cowichan region will be happening in sync with the provincial drought levels as determined by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.
Water restrictions apply to all CVRD water systems including the City of Duncan, Municipality of North Cowichan, Cowichan Tribes, Town of Ladysmith, Town of Lake Cowichan, Mill Bay Water District, Cowichan Bay Waterworks, and Diamond Improvement District.
Residents of other improvement districts and private water systems in the region are encouraged to follow regional water restrictions, but should contact their local system operators for information on any specific regulations which may apply to their system.