Every drop counts! Volunteer to water less this summer

A water conservation message from the Province of British Columbia and the City or Trail.

British Columbia is experiencing severe drought levels and unprecedented conditions around the province. 

Water conservation is everyone’s responsibility - including people, business and industry. You can help conserve water by making small changes to the way you do things. Review the water use in your household, around your property and at work for ways you can use less water, including voluntarily choosing to use less than what is outlined in the City of Trail’s water conservation regulations.  See www.trail.ca/WaterConservation for more details.

The City will be reducing its water usage in all passive parks by 50%.  Dormant or brown grass may be visible, as a result. Active parks, i.e., baseball fields and soccer pitches, will remain on their current schedules to meet service levels.

Here are some water conservation tips you may find useful.

Indoor water conservation tips:

• Take shorter showers 
• Fill the sink instead of letting the water run freely when washing dishes
• Keep a jug of cool water in the fridge instead of running the tap
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving
• Regularly check your home for leaks. Undetected leaks in your home can waste many liters of water each year
• Run full loads of laundry and full loads in the dishwasher

Outdoor water conservation tips

• Water your lawn sparingly, if at all. If you choose to water, follow the City’s water conversation guidelines.
• Collect and reuse water for outdoor plant use
• When watering, water sparingly in the morning or evening to reduce evaporation
• Clean the driveway with a broom instead of a hose
• Check for leaks in outdoor pipes, faucets, and hoses
• Plant drought tolerant vegetation 
• Use a water-saving pool filter if you have a swimming pool

Business and industry water conservation tips

• Follow the City’s water conversation guidelines.
• Review essential water use
• Reduce non-essential water use
• Recycle water used in industrial operation - don't pour water down the drain when there might be another use for it
• Use water-efficient methods and equipment
• Check all plumbing for leaks
• Maximize water system efficiencies

Drought is a recurring feature of climate change. It is a shortage of water caused by reduced precipitation and rain, during an extended period of time. Droughts lead to reduced water availability. People, organizations and businesses across sectors are being asked to reduce water usage as much as possible.

Provincial staff, including members from the BC Wildfire Service, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy’s Water Management Branch, the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, are actively monitoring the situation. The Province of British Columbia is working to balance the competing needs within the watersheds.

Water conservation tips are and more information issued by the Province of British Columbia is available  at gov.bc.ca/Drought.

For questions about the City of Trail’s water conservation methods, please contact;

City of Trail Public Works Department
 250-364-0840
email