The winter rainfall captured in the Sooke Lake Reservoir must last through the region’s dry summer months. Our region relies on this water for drinking, protection against wildfire events and droughts, watering food plants and supporting vital habitats for many endangered species.
With our growing population and a changing climate, being water wise is one of many steps to ensure a vibrant and healthy region. Small changes in the way you use water can add up over time. Adopting waterwise habits outdoors and indoors can help you save water at home.
Benefits of Water Conservation
- Lower water and energy bills by reducing your metered usage.
- Reduced environmental impact by deferring the need to supply water from new sources and by reducing the energy and materials required to treat and deliver water.
- Delay in building new water infrastructure that would be necessary to provide increased capacity if demand continues to rise.
- Release of reservoir water to enhance fish habitat in the Sooke River, Charters River and Goldstream River.
- Buffers against the unknown - With the effects of climate change, shorter, more intense rain events and longer, dry spells in the summer months are expected. Having as much water storage in the reservoir as possible provides the assurance that not only will there be a sufficient quantity of drinking water for the year, but provides the flexibility to deal with drought and forest fires.
- Enhanced drinking water quality by maintaining higher water levels in our primary drinking water supply, the Sooke Lake Reservoir.
The capital region enjoys some of the highest quality drinking water in the world at a reasonable cost - maintaining this critical resource requires each of us to make water wise choices each and every day.
