For the summer months, Rossland and the surrounding area will have an opportunity to find out if water is being wasted.
This is thanks to the regions three water ambassadors, who are encouraging residents to conserve water and use it more efficiently over the summer.
The three ambassadors: Marnie Kavanagh (Rossland), Diana Lupieri (Montrose/Fruitvale) and Ryan Macklon (Trail) were at MacLean Elementary this week to teach students ways to conserve water.
The presentation demonstrated how much more water is consumed and wasted if the tap is left on while you brush your teeth. Students were amazed at the difference that seemingly short amount of time could make.
The three work together to put on presentations like this one, working at May Days in Trail and Montrose Family Day. They will also be putting up a booth at the Rossland Mountain Market, which begins at the end of the month.
The ambassadors do free lawn and garden assessments as well in there communities and Kavanagh said though she hasn’t done many in Rossland yet, she’s encouraged by what she say.
She said people in Rossland are already pretty good at conserving water. “They want to know what else they can do.”
The assessment involves taking a soil sample to determine the type of soil in the yard, which from there they can determine how they should be water the type of soil.
They also check sprinkling systems if homeowners are interested, but don’t do repairs.
Kavanagh also will give anyone who signs up for a lawn and garden assessment either a free hose timer or rain sensor.
The water ambassadors also conduct door to door surveys on indoor water use to identify how municipalities can promote more water use in the future.
The City of Rossland signed the Water Smart Charter and became one of 22 communities participating in the Columbia Basin Trust Water Smart Initiative.
It is a regional water conservation initiative that provides support for local governments to assess local water consumption needs.
Communities in the initiative hope to see a 20 per cent reduction from 2009 levels of gross community water consumption, by 2015.
The city’s Water Smart Action Plan has set its own individual goal of 15 per cent water consumption reduction by 2015.
Kavanagh said the programs purpose is to support the community with water consumption information.
It’s targeted at reductions in outdoor residential and institutional water supplies.
Contact Kavanagh at rosslandambassador@gmail.com to sign up for an assessment.