Due to extremely low water levels caused by the record-breaking dry weather conditions this spring
and summer, and the absence of any significant snowpack over the winter, the Comox Valley Regional
District (CVRD) will move to stage three water restrictions effective Friday, July 3, 2015.
The stage three restrictions are necessary to maintain an ample supply of community water. The water
that supplies the Comox Valley water system originates in Comox Lake and is taken from the
Puntledge River and delivered to approximately 41,000 residents.
Koreen Gurak speaks for the RD.
Our water is a shared resource with BC Hydro using its share of the water to generate electricity, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans using it to ensure salmon stocks migrate and thrive.
“We’re asking all residents to turn off their automatic lawn sprinklers, refrain from using manually operated sprinkler systems, and not to wash their vehicles or boats,” said Dave Leitch, CVRD’s senior
manager of water and wastewater services. “We need to change our outdoor water use habits.
By reducing our water use, we can minimize our withdrawal from the lake.”
Stage three is the most extreme water restriction and essentially requires all homeowners to use water
only when completely necessary. During stage three the following activities are prohibited:
o Watering lawns (with manual or automatic sprinklers) or pressure washing driveways or
boulevards at any time
o Filling or adding water to a hot tub or garden pond at any time
o Washing a vehicle or a boat at any time (other than in a commercial car wash or car
dealership)
These water restrictions apply to everyone living in the Town of Comox, the City of Courtenay and
the Arden, Comox Valley, England Road, Marsden/Camco, and Greaves Crescent water local service
areas. All of these areas are served by the Comox Valley water system.
Water conservation officers work on behalf of the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox and the
CVRD to provide education and enforcement of the bylaw.
For more information on the three stage bylaw, visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/restrictions.
