| Water Use Update: High Water Consumption and Hot Weather Highlight Need for Conservation | Water Use Update: High Water Consumption and Hot Weather Highlight Need for Conservation | | <div class="ExternalClassB4AD38C7F99B41A4802EE05B06FBB347"><p style="text-align:justify;">Metro Vancouver continues to experience unseasonably warm and dry weather since the end of April 2023, with very minimal precipitation. Although <a href="/services/water/reservoir-levels-water-use">reservoir levels </a>are still within the normal range for this time of year, the short term weather forecast is showing a continuing trend of warm, dry weather for the region and water consumption across the region continues to be over 20 per cent higher than the same period last year (see chart below).<br> <br> <strong>Regional Water Use Trends and Weather Data for the Week of July 3, 2023</strong></p><ul><li>Peak day demand was 1.56 billion litres on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 (not a designated lawn watering day)</li><li>The average daily high temperature for this reporting period is 26°C </li><li> There was zero precipitation measured at Vancouver International Airport </li></ul><p style="text-align:justify;">The Stage 1 watering restrictions are currently in place, limiting lawn watering to one day per week — Saturday or Sunday, depending on your house number. Over the years, lawn watering restrictions have had a significant positive impact on reducing water demand during the summer when water consumption increases by 50 per cent or more due mostly to lawn watering. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Metro Vancouver asks all residents to limit outdoor water use and to keep lawn watering to one day per week (Saturday or Sunday, depending on your house number), or stop watering lawns all together, to help the region conserve its water supply until the rain returns. <br> <br> Successful conservation across the region will help us continue delivering drinking water to where it is needed the most – for drinking, cooking, and cleaning – and will reduce the likelihood of having to activate Stage 2 of the <a href="/services/water/lawn-watering-regulations"><em>Drinking Water Conservation Plan</em></a>, where lawn watering is banned.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Metro Vancouver's<em> Drinking Water Conservation Plan</em> is a regional policy developed with member jurisdictions and other stakeholders to manage the outdoor use of drinking water during periods of high demand. Metro Vancouver member jurisdictions enforce the lawn watering regulations with fines ranging up to $250 per violation in Stage 1.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Metro Vancouver collaborates with member jurisdictions to plan for and deliver drinking water services to nearly 2.8 million residents using a system of water supply areas, dams, treatment facilities, reservoirs, pump stations, and water mains. Upgrades are regularly made to the system to maintain the regional district's ability to reliably provide clean, safe drinking water. </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>The chart below shows daily water consumption for May, June and July 2023 (red) compared to the same period for 2022. </em></p><p><img src="/media-room/PublishingImages/may-june-july-2023.jpg" alt="" style="margin:5px;width:700px;" /><br></p></div> | 7/21/2023 7:00:00 AM | | Metro Vancouver Media Relations | media@metrovancouver.org | | |