Little rain over the last two months across the mid-Island has worsened drought conditions and forcing the RDN to implement stage four water restrictions. (David Coleman/Dreamstime)

By Alex Rawnsley

DRY SUMMER

RDN moves to stage 4 water restrictions after drought worsens

Aug 21, 2021 | 10:42 AM

NANAIMO — A record-dry summer is continuing to have ripple effects across the mid-Island.

The Regional District of Nanaimo escalated its water restrictions to stage four on Friday, Aug. 19, in response to a provincial move declaring eastern Vancouver Island at drought level five. It’s the highest level of drought possible.

Murray Walters, the RDN’s water services manager, told NanaimoNewsNOW enacting stage four water restrictions across the entire regional district is not common.

“This is something different. Operationally our water systems, we’re not seeing any alarming trends that would say ‘hey, we should go to stage four watering restrictions.’ This is a move to support the provincial government’s declaration of a level five drought and to try and help our neighbours who have less adequate water supplies.”

Walters estimated the last time the RDN went to a complete stage four water restriction was 2015.

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Individual areas of the RDN typically see stage four restrictions through the year. The Englishman River and French Creek areas were upgraded earlier this summer.

The RDN’s map of water restrictions across the mid-Island. Red denotes stage four, orange is stage three while blue is stage one or two. (RDN)

The moves come after next-to-no rain across most of the mid-Island since early June.

The monitoring station at Nanaimo airport has measured just 3.9 millimetres of rain since June 15.

Drought conditions have tried creeks and streams which gives the RDN and the province an indication of just how much groundwater remains.

“We don’t see the water we use, we measure the level of it deep under the ground,” Walters said. “We can’t say exactly how much water is there, we have to follow the trend and hope that it doesn’t trend downward, which is different from the City of Nanaimo who have a significant reservoir.”

Both the City of Nanaimo and City of Parksville remain in stage three water restrictions.

“Rain has to fall, a lot of rain, to soak through the ground and start making some streams flow again that have dried up essentially,” Walters added. “That’s one of the key markers the province looks up when they’re moving their drought levels up.”

Stage four water restrictions prohibit non-essential water use for lawns, car washing, pressure washing, pool or hot tub filling.

Hand watering is still permitted during the early morning or evening hours, to a maximum of two hours. Drip irrigation for food gardens is also still allowed.

More information on the RDN’s water management and current restrictions, visit the RDN’s website.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

alex.rawnsley@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley