Learning practical ways to make a big dip in the amount of water each household in the Kootenay Boundary uses day-to-day will go a long way to conserve precious water resources.
Water restrictions including water ambassadorships have long been in the books for basin towns like Trail and Rossland. Now all residents living throughout the regional district, including Beaver Valley, Rivervale and Christina Lake, can also find out ways to significantly reduce their water consumption and conserve H20 more effectively this summer with help from regional water ambassador Abbe Teasdale.
Teasdale, a seasonal recruit hailing from Fruitvale, has just finished her second year in civil engineering at the University of Calgary. She is the latest post-secondary student to join the burgeoning talented crew at the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB).
As the RDKB WaterSmart Ambassador she hopes to replicate the success initiated by Columbia Basin Trust when it first launched the program to address high seasonal outdoor water use, to achieve the basin-wide reduction goal of 20 per cent.
Based from the regional headquarters in Trail, Teasdale will work with the RDKB’s environmental services team to conduct free sprinkler system assessments in a bid to identify defects and address inefficiencies across local lawns and gardens.
Part of her remit will be to promote free indoor water conservation kits comprised of faucet aerators and shower heads designed to effectively reduce water flow.
“I’m looking forward to gaining an insight into local government, being the RDKB’s public interface, working with local people and addressing their concerns,” Teasdale says.
“Water conservation is a huge passion of mine and I’m looking forward to learning more about how the real world of work aligns with my degree,” she adds.
“Simple changes made on a local level can make a big difference and I’m on hand to share tips and advice on how to bring down residents’ water use.”
To schedule a sprinkler system assessment, authorize the watering of new sod/grass seed, order indoor water conservation tool kits and for any other WaterSmart and related landscaping enquiries, call 250.231.5384 or email: watersmart@rdkb.com.
“WaterSmart Ambassadors have a huge impact on the ground,” says Gabe Wiebe, RDKB engineering and safety coordinator.
“They are really effective at raising community awareness on how to avoid over watering. This new appointment is a big step forward for local water conservation and will significantly help us meet our strategic priorities.”
Read more: Conservation plan underway for Rivervale water
Read more: Residents in Trail and across the Lower Columbia asked to reduce water usage
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