Water Conservation Educators In Northern Area D
The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has hired a water conservation educator to help spread the word.
Campbell River, BC – The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) has hired a water conservation educator to help spread the word that saving water is easy and can help residents save money on their annual water bill.
“I am excited to welcome Luisa Richardson to the SRD team as our water conservation educator. Right now, a lot of Northern Area D residents are concerned about recent increases to their annual water bill. We know that approximately 75 per cent (75%) of the Northern Area D Water System cost comes from the bulk purchase of water. If all residents commit to using less water, we could start to see the annual water bills decrease,” says SRD Environmental Services Coordinator Jenny Brunn. “We will have water educators in Area D this summer observing water use and sharing information on ways we can conserve water without sacrificing our landscaping.”
To launch the education program, the SRD will be hosting a public open house in Hagel Park on June 21, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. SRD staff, including the water education team members, will be there to answer questions, share information and meet the community.
“The biggest opportunity for reducing water consumption lies in changing outdoor irrigation practices, particularly on lawns,” says Luisa Richardson, SRDs water conservation educator. “Grass can only absorb an inch of water per week, but people usually use far more than this to keep lawns green. There are so many other ways to ensure healthy lawns without over-using water. I will be engaging the public to answer their questions with facts and science and give them the tools to make their own decisions about water use habits.”
The education program also has a dedicated water conservation hotline and email account, 250-203- 1820 and water@srd.ca, which residents can use to ask questions, request more information and report excessive use.
In conjunction with this program, SRD staff are developing a Water Demand Management Plan for Area D, preparing of a report on Universal Water Metering for the area and completing an audit to ensure all residences are captured within the water system.
The Strathcona Regional District is a partnership of four electoral areas and five municipalities providing services to approximately 43,000 residents.
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Media Contact:
Amy Jonsson
Communications Manager
Phone: 250-830-6720
Email: ajonsson@srd.ca