Level 3 drought conditions call for voluntary water use reductions of 20-30 per cent or more from all municipal, agricultural and industrial users.

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Extreme dry conditions have pushed British Columbia officials to raise the drought rating for the South Coast and Lower Fraser to the highest category – Level 4.

The good news is that a upper trough developing in the Gulf of Alaska is expected to usher in cooler temperatures and bring much needed rain to southern B.C. by early next week. This could bring some relief to the wildfire situation, however, the risk remains elevated as toasty weather continues to dominate the short term forecast.

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The City of Penticton is asking residents to reduce their water consumption by 30% in light of current reservoir levels. Responding to dry conditions, the Government of B.C. has announced a Level 3 drought rating for the South Thompson, Nicola, Similkameen, Okanagan-Kettle and Skagit regions, and taken the additional action of suspending angling in streams and rivers throughout the South Okanagan due to ongoing low stream flows and warming water temperatures.

What does “Level 3 Drought” mean?
• Level 3 means a region is experiencing “very dry conditions”
• It is significant as it could have potentially serious ecosystem or socioeconomic impacts
• Level 3 drought conditions call for voluntary water use reductions of 30% or more from all municipal, agricultural and industrial users

What do we need to do?
People are asked to reduce their water consumption by 30%. This is critical to avoid further water restrictions.

What is Penticton experiencing?
While all dams reached full pool this year, the low snow pack and hot, dry weather conditions have resulted in a decline in reservoir storage levels approximately six weeks ahead of normal. Although reservoirs are lower than they should be, the City of Penticton is seeing water use that is higher than normal. Storage volumes in the Penticton Creek and Ellis Creek dam systems are being constantly monitored and adjusted to maintain maximum storage volumes. The Water Treatment Plant is adjusting to use lake water to maximize reservoirs, and park irrigation will be reduced by 30% effective immediately.

How can people help?
You can help by reducing how long you irrigate your lawn by 30%. For example, if you normally water your lawn for one hour, only water for 40 minutes.