Kamloops reports 21% drop in water use as restrictions ease after nearly 7 weeks

This was the first summer when the city brought in Drought Level 4 water restrictions – the second-highest in its five-point plan – which was implemented in 2024. The new year-round restrictions were borne out of the drastic measures the city had to implement on the fly in 2023 after Kamloops reached Drought Level 5 for the very first time.

“I hope we never have to get [to Drought Level 5], but that is a possibility,” Wagner said. “We don’t know what can happen during the course of the summer. If we have another heat dome or things like that that we’ve experienced in the past, those are possibilities and that is why we have a plan.“

The city bases its restrictions on the provincial drought classification on the South Thompson River basin, which is currently at Level 3. Recent rain and cooler temperatures helped eased provincial drought levels, and Wagner said city staff will review the effects of cutting back water use and make adjustments to the response plan as needed.

“We had questions and we welcomed the questions,” he said. “People were inquiring why we were doing what we’re doing and that is natural, not just in Kamloops but across the entire province as we try to mitigate the effects of drought.”

With the peak summer months in the rearview mirror, Wagner said Kamloopsians should still conserve water wherever possible.

“We’re always going to need to conserve water wherever we are,” Wagner said. “I think it’s something globally that the entire world is experiencing. We don’t want to be wasteful with anything we do, whether it be water or any other thing in the city.”

“We want to conserve where we can so we have sustainability, our ecosystems are protected and we have water when we need it.”

by Victor Kaisar

Kamloops reports 21% drop in water use as restrictions ease after nearly 7 weeks

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