It might seem like we have an abundance of water here on the ‘wet’ coast, so it’s easy to take our water supply for granted. Despite our rainy winters, fresh water is a limited and precious resource in the summer. With a growing population in the Comox Valley and a warming climate, water conservation is more important than ever.
Comox Valley water system users consume over 8 billion litres a year - about a third of which is simply flushed down the toilet or washed down a drain. In the summer, daily water use can reach as high as 1,300 litres per person a day. Our water consumption almost triples during the summer months as a result of outdoor water use, like lawn and garden watering.
Thankfully, there are many ways we can curb our home water consumption, from shorter showers to drought-resistant landscaping. Try some of the following tips to reduce your household’s water consumption:
When we use our water efficiently it impacts more than just the amount of water left to support natural ecosystems. It can also help reduce the costs to operate the water system, and avoid future upgrades to water supply infrastructure or changes to how and where we source our drinking water.
The CVRD implements annual water restrictions. These restrictions are necessary to help ensure there is enough water available for fish flows, domestic needs and fire protection.
Residents connected to the Comox Valley Water System rely on water drawn from Comox Lake through BC Hydro power generation infrastructure. We are fortunate to have Comox Lake as the source for our drinking water, but the lake does not offer an infinite supply of fresh water. Learn more about why water restrictions are needed.