Water is commonly thought to be plentiful on BC’s west coast; an assumption that has traditionally shaped our decisions about everything from planning our home gardens to designing and operating cooling systems and industrial processes. However, the rising cost of providing drinking water from finite sources in growing urban areas is rendering many traditional water using devices, systems and practices obsolete.

The National Water Supply Expansion Program is a four-year $60 million Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada investment in secure water supplies for agriculture. The intent of the program is to improve the capacity of agricultural producers to deal with drought and other agriculturally related water supply constraints through the development and expansion on water supply systems on a cost-shared basis.

A directed studies project initiated in January 2004 set out to investigate performance measurement of water conservation programs in B.C. and other jurisdictions. One case study of note involves the South East Kelowna Irrigation District (SEKID), where 85 percent of the water supply is used to irrigate crops. Metering these agricultural connections has not only reduced water demand, but has also made it possible to verify actual water requirements, both for individual landowners and for the district as a whole.

A water bailiff was hired for the summer of 2005 to help enforce Peachland’s watering restrictions, and to gain a better understanding of how water is used by both residents and growers. This will help the district make sound water management decisions now and in the future.

The following hints will help both residents and growers assess their watering practices over the last growing season and consider improvements for next year.

The primary purpose of the BC Rural Network’s (BCRN) website, is to provide information to organizations that serve a rural constituency, and to members of the public who want to know about BCRN's activities and issues of importance to rural and remote communities.