Waterwise Gardening

Outdoor watering on the Sunshine Coast causes local water demands to double during the dry summer months. By reducing your landscape’s water demands through the planting of water wise plants (known as Xeriscaping), we as a community can reduce stress to our local environments.

To assist Sunshine Coast residents and businesses, the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) created this Water Wise Plant Guide  that gives information and ideas on modifying your landscapes to become water efficient.

Another great resource is the  Okanagan Xeriscape Association’s (OXA) plant database. This database lets you choose plants through a wide variety of options, such as light/water preferences, deer resistance and bloom colours to name just a few.

What else can you do to conserve water in your garden?

Consider the following:

Irrigation systems can be excellent tools for properly managing landscaping needs, but only if they are programmed correctly and maintained regularly. You are responsible for the operations of your irrigation system so a general knowledge of manual shutoffs and timer programming is highly recommended.

A rain sensor must be installed as part of any irrigation system regardless of whether it is a new installation or existing system. This will notify the system of when it’s raining, so treated water will not be wasted when watering is not needed. Many hardware stores and landscaping businesses on the Sunshine Coast stock this item or can order it in upon request.

Drip irrigation systems are irrigation systems that deliver water straight to the root zone of the plant, which minimizes water evaporation. The SCRD defines drip irrigation systems as a system that operates at a pressure less than 138 kPa (20 psi) and delivers water directly to the plant root zone through individual emission points or emitters using droplets of water where the emitters use less than 7.6 litres per hour.

The SCRD offers rebates of up to $1000 for SCRD water customers looking to install a rainwater harvesting system.

Contact Us

Water Services

Phone: 604-885-6806

Email: infrastructure@scrd.ca

Emergency Water/Wastewater Answering Service: 1-866-291-4645