Jeremy Auger-Patry, summer student hire with the Keremeos Irrigation District will be offering water use tips to Similkameen residents through periodic columns in the Review.
It’s that wonderful time of the year again, the birds are singing, and the valley is vibrant with color. As we talked about in a previous column, the conservation measures are identical to those of 2010 and residential sprinkler use is prohibited during the hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition to the restricted hours, only one sprinkler may be used for every quarter acre of your property and automatic sprinkler systems must operate between the hours of 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.. These measures are in place to minimize water waste and operational costs.
Watering during the heat of the day is wasteful as the majority of the water evaporates in the sunshine. In fact, the water droplets act as a magnifying glass, intensifying the sun’s rays and burning your grass. These watering restrictions are to prevent the waste that occurs as a result of over-watering.
A lawn only requires an inch of water per week to thrive and large amounts of water are wasted. The main focus of these conservation measures is to maximize the use of every drop of water and to protect a natural resource that has been enjoyed by the citizens of Keremeos and area for generations.
If you have any comments or questions please contact the Keremeos Irrigation office at 250-499-5651. This number doubles as a water tip line if you observe restricted watering, anonymity guaranteed.