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By Liam Verster
Water Restrictions

Restrictions issued for Whitevale Water System

Aug 20, 2021 | 12:06 PM

Residents connected to the Whitevale Water System in the Regional District of North Okanagan (RNDO) are now ordered to reduce outdoor water use.

The restrictions have been passed down from the Province of British Columbia as the extreme drought conditions have severely impacted the Bessette Creek, which the Whitevale Water Utility well is connected to.

In a release, the RDNO said that many locations in the watershed are seeing historic low flows that are now threatening fish populations.

Agricultural water users are ordered to reduce all water use except for essential purposes like livestock watering.

Residents are ordered to not water outdoors with a sprinkler and to let lawns go brown. Gardens and outdoor plants can be watered by hand using a watering can or hose with a spring-loaded shut-off nozzle three times a week.

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Properties with even addresses are allowed to hand water gardens between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays only, while hand watering at odd addressed properties is limited to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during that same time period. Watering on Mondays is not allowed on any properties.

Residents are also asked to reduce their indoor water use by about 20 per cent if possible to help protect the watershed.

by Liam Verster
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