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Water Conservation Campaign

Vernon joining Make Water Work initiative

Jul 28, 2026 | 3:57 PM

The City of Vernon will be joining a valley-wide campaign aimed at conserving water.

At the request from Councillor Brian Guy, City Council was asked to join the Make Water Work initiative.

Overseen by the Okanagan Basin Water Board, the campaign sees people, municipalities, First Nations and irrigation districts commit to reducing their outdoor water use, as that is the second-largest use of water in the region after agriculture.

Participation in the initiative also opens the door for Vernon to access regional expertise and professionally developed communications resources provided by the OBWB. FireSmartBC is also a partner in the campaign, offering advice on landscaping that both conserves water and is more resilient to fires. 

The Make Water Work campaign also involves an annual community competition, encouraging people to make a pledge to change their behaviour and save water where they can.

The city joined the Make Water Work campaign at no cost, though other municipalities provide funding to support the program, with the Regional District of North Okanagan contributing $3,500 annually using money collected from ratepayers. The OBWB matches contributions to the initiative as well.

City Council agreed to join the campaign, and also agreed to provide $3,000, through the operations budget, toward the program for 2026 with the option to review the municipal contribution in future years.

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