In response to Stage 3 water restrictions announced by the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO), the City of Vernon is taking immediate action to reduce non-essential water use and support community-wide conservation efforts.
Stage 3 water restrictions are now in effect for the entire Greater Vernon Water service area, including the City of Vernon. All residents and businesses are being asked to significantly reduce water use to help the community achieve an overall 50 per cent reduction target. Meeting this goal will require shared responsibility, with everyone playing a role in conserving water during ongoing drought conditions.
The City is working closely with RDNO to achieve the required 50 per cent reduction for municipal facilities while maintaining key public amenities and community pools. Water use is being prioritized for high-value, heavily used community spaces, including parks, sports fields, active green spaces and trees.
As part of the City’s response, the following measures are now in effect:
- Misting stations at Civic Memorial Park and spray features at Lakeview Park have been turned off
- Irrigation systems have been turned off at numerous neighbourhood parks (e.g. Sawicki, Wenger, and Armory)
- The Clean Team will transition to a reactive approach for pressure washing, focusing only on biohazards and graffiti, with no proactive scheduled cleaning
- Planting areas will be reduced to 2 days a week
Amenities may be reactivated during extreme heat events, as determined by the Emergency Operations Centre, or with approval from the RDNO. Public pools, including the Vernon Recreation Centre and Lakeview and Lavington outdoor pools, will operate as normal.
The City is also adjusting its irrigation practices to meet a system wide reduction of 50% in water use and still keep athletic parks and high used public spaces usable:
- Marshall Fields and Department of National Defense (DND) grounds will remain open. These facilities use high-quality reclaimed water for irrigation and have no impact on the potable water system.
- To maintain sports fields in playable condition, the City will target irrigation to active playing fields and temporarily suspend watering in non-essential parks to prioritize water use where it is most needed.
The City is exploring options to maximize the use of reclaimed or effluent water where feasible and is assessing alternative supply methods, including water hauling, to support essential operations while maintaining conservation targets.
The City of Vernon continues to work closely with the RDNO and regional partners to ensure all operational adjustments align with regional requirements and support long-term water conservation efforts.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed as updates will be shared as new information becomes available and as restrictions evolve. To subscribe to updates, visit vernon.ca/subscribe.
For more information about RDNO water restrictions and conservation tips, visit https://www.rdno.ca/gvw/restrictions