The District of Ucluelet will implement Stage 1 water restrictions as of Friday, Sept. 1 and until further notice.
Stage 1 water restrictions mean watering of lawns, gardens, trees and landscaped areas can only be done using a hand-held hose with an auto shutoff mechanism, or use of a sprinkler or a drip irrigation system.
Watering is restricted by civic addresses: odd-numbered addresses are allowed to water on Mondays and Thursdays between 6–9 a.m. or 7–10 p.m. Even-numbered addresses are allowed to water Tuesdays and Fridays during the same hours.
Any other outdoor uses of water must be done with containers or hand-held hose with the auto shutoff.
If drought conditions continue, city officials say residents should expect further water use restrictions to be implemented in Ucluelet to protect the water supply.
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Nearby Tofino has been on Stage 3 water restrictions since July 10, 2023. Tofino went to stage 1 at the beginning of May.
The District of Ucluelet gets its drinking water from two sources: the Lost Shoe Aquifer and Mercantile Creek. The Lost Shoe Creek Aquifer has two independent monitoring stations which provide current and historical data on water levels. Both data sets combined provide a “highly reliable” longitudinal measure of aquifer levels.
“Our aquifer levels run at a peak of approximately 10.5 metres in the rainy season with an average dry seasonal level of eight metres,” a Ucluelet spokesperson noted. “The district is continually monitoring our aquifer levels, and at this time it is prudent to implement Stage 1 water restrictions.
“Small daily changes in water use habits can make a significant impact and help to avoid potential restrictions. As we know, the effects of drought conditions are time-delayed, so doing our part to conserve water now will have a lasting impact for the future – every drop counts.”
For more details on water restrictions in Ucluelet, go online to Ucluelet.ca/Water.