The drought in the northeast is intensifying, and the city of Dawson Creek is enforcing two small changes for residents to ensure the water supply lasts.
At their July 22 special council meeting, Dawson Creek’s city council received updates about the low water levels at the Kiskatinaw River, which is 39 km southwest of the city. The update prompted city council to issue a notice of stage two water conservation measures coming into effect later this week.
Typically, Bearhole Lake releases water into the Kiskatinaw River, but due to the drought and low snowpack last winter, the lake does not have enough excess water to feed into the river, the city said.
As of noon on July 25, residents will only be allowed to water their lawns during specific periods, depending on their address – people who live in homes with even street numbers can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays, those who live in odd-numbered addresses are allowed to water on Thursdays and Sundays.
In any case, watering is only allowed in the early mornings from 4 to 9 and later in the day from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Residents looking to wash their cars or boats must use automatic shut-off devices on their hoses.
Oil and gas companies are subject to additional restrictions – namely they are barred from hauling large quantities of water, unless it is drinking water. Dawson Creek said this difference is expected to make the largest splash.
The city has invested in several projects to provide alternate sources of drinking water to the community because it was not built around a major source of water. In a statement released last week, Dawson Creek city council said they are exploring ways to secure a sustainable supply.
