With more rain and cooler temperatures in recent weeks, Metro Vancouver this week downgraded the region's watering restrictions to Stage 2. "Metro Vancouver staff have continuously monitored the water levels in our three reservoirs as well as our daily water consumption, and now that the reservoirs are within the seasonal average, we can return to Stage 2 water restrictions," Carol Mason, chief administrative officer, said Wednesday.
That means homeowners can resume lawn sprinkling, which is now allowed once per week between 4 and 9 a.m. Even-numbered addresses can water on Mondays and odd-numbered addresses can water on Thursdays.
Recent rainfall has helped replenish the region's dwindling reservoirs. The Capilano, Seymour and Coquitlam reservoirs are currently at 60 per cent capacity, and Metro Vancouver's three alpine lakes, which provide water to the reservoirs throughout the summer, have also been replenished by the recent rains.
"Collectively, we did a tremendous job conserving water during months of dry, hot weather," said Greg Moore, Metro Vancouver chair. "Due to the extraordinary conservation efforts of the citizens of Metro Vancouver, we did not exceed the 1.2 billion-litresper-day target for water use shortly after implementing the Stage 3 restrictions.
"With reservoirs holding at 60 per cent for the past week, we now have adequate supply of water and I want to acknowledge in particular the significant support from the business community," he said.
Metro Vancouver will continue to monitor daily the reservoir levels and consumption, once usage is within the normal range of consumption and reservoirs are remaining within normal levels, water restrictions will be relaxed further.
