Ban on all Outdoor Use of Drinking Water in the Chapman Water System Effective Friday, September 8

Our water supply is at risk due to prolonged dry weather. Effective Friday, September 8, and until further notice, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has declared Stage 4 (severe) water conservation regulations for water users on the Chapman Water System. The Chapman Water System services homes and businesses in Halfmoon Bay, Sechelt, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone, and part of West Howe Sound.

Stage 4 water conservation regulations means a BAN ON ALL OUTDOOR USE OF SCRD DRINKING WATER.  This includes, but is not limited to, watering gardens and greenhouses, construction activities, road and property maintenance. Under these drought conditions, water use priorities focus on water for human health, firefighting and minimum creek flow requirements.

“Due to sustained heat and hardly any rain in the past few months, Chapman Lake levels have dropped triggering the need to start using the Chapman siphons and Edwards lake storage,” says Dean McKinley, SCRD CAO and Acting General Manager of Infrastructure Services. “This has unfortunately led us to have to make the difficult decision to move to severe water regulations.”

Commercial farms are exempt from Stage 4 water conservation regulations for food crops, for a two-week period, commencing from the first date of Stage 4 regulations, September 8 to 22. All businesses and residential properties using water indoors are encouraged to plan a water reduction strategy to reduce water consumption as much as possible during Stage 4.

The SCRD is offering a bulk water filling station, located in Langdale, to support business continuity for farm irrigation or construction projects impacted by Stage 4. Please contact 604-885-6806 or email infrastructure@scrd.ca to enquire.

“The fire danger rating is currently very high on parts of the Sunshine Coast,” says Matt Treit, Manager of Protective Services. “On behalf of all our Fire Chiefs, I ask that our community obey Stage 4 water conservation regulations to ensure we have adequate water supply in the case of wildfire on the Sunshine Coast.”

Other Water Systems

All SCRD water users on the Egmont, Cove Cay, and North Pender Harbour water systems as well as groundwater sources in Langdale, Soames Point, and Granthams Landing remain at Stage 1 until further notice.

The South Pender Harbour water system will continue to follow Stage 3 water conservation regulations until further notice.

For the Eastbourne water system, Stage 4 water conservation regulations have been declared.

These regulations apply to the use of SCRD drinking water not to the use of rainwater, private well water or any forms of recycled water.

Enforcement

The SCRD may proceed directly to fines without warnings for regulation violations in Stage 4 water conservation regulations. Continued non-compliance may result in multiple fines.

Staff do not take bylaw complaints by phone. Please submit bylaw complaints using the online form at www.scrd.ca/bylaw-complaint-form.

For more information, contact the SCRD at 604-885-6806 or infrastructure@scrd.ca. Visit www.scrd.ca/water-regulations for further details.