GRCA urging further cutbacks to water usage

(CTV News).

The Grand River Conservation Authority is urging people to cut back on their water use by 20 per cent.

The agency asked users to reduce their consumption by 10 per cent on June 30, but is now requesting further conservation efforts as the hot, dry weather continues across southwestern Ontario.

The GRCA said that between mid-June and mid-July the Grand River watershed received only 25 per cent of its normal amount of precipitation, and that total rainfall is "well below the 90 mm average normally expected in July."

The agency said it is already using its upstream reservoirs to augment water flows on the Grand and Speed Rivers.

On Wednesday, the Grand River Low Water Response Team decided to place the entire watershed at Level 2 under the Ontario Low Water Response Program.

The GRCA said Level 2 includes a voluntary 20 per cent reduction in water consumption by municipalities, aggregate operations, golf courses, water bottlers, farms and private users.

"Conditions are incredibly dry for this time of year and while any rainfall helps, many of the weather systems we have seen this summer have been localized and fall well short of delivering the amount of precipitation needed," said Stephanie Shifflett, the GRCA's Water Resources Engineer, in a media release. "Reducing water use helps ensure there is adequate water supply for drinking water and wastewater treatment."

The agency recommends residents follow municipal outdoor water use bylaws, which may limit or restrict activities like car washing and lawn watering.