Drought conditions worsen in the Okanagan

The Okanagan Basin Water Board wants residents to conserver water to ensure there’s water in the area for food crops and firefighting.

This month’s intense heat worsened drought conditions in the Okanagan, and local agencies are reminding residents to be mindful of water consumption.

The province has bumped up drought conditions in the region to Level 3, which indicates severely dry.

Last year, the Okanagan was at Level 5, the maximum rating.

With several weeks of summer left, the Okanagan Basin Water Board says using water wisely now will help in the long run.

“The water is all connected in the Valley, from the north to the south,” said OBWB spokesperson Corinne Jackson. “So everyone doing their part to conserve does help.”

The Okanagan Basin Water Board says Drought Level 3 can mean serious ecosystem and socio-economic impacts, so it’s asking residents to check with their water providers on watering restrictions.

In Kelowna, for example, city residents are limited to lawn watering three times a week.

“What we do now will set us up to prevent us moving towards Level 4 or even Level 5 like we had last year,” Jackson told Global News.