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The Metro Vancouver Regional District says it will revert to Stage 2 water restrictions on Thursday as a critical piece of infrastructure is now back in service.
The First Narrows Crossing, a key supply pipe that takes drinking water from the North Shore to Vancouver, is now operating, according to a Metro Vancouver news release issued Monday.
Stage 2 restrictions still prohibit lawn watering, but allow sprinklers and soaker hoses for watering landscaping and trees, according to the regional district.
“Pressure washing by a commercial company will be allowed for aesthetic purposes, residents will be able to top up pools and hot tubs, and washing vehicles and boats will be allowed at home,” said the release.
The First Narrows Crossing was taken out of service last October to build a bypass during construction on the Stanley Park water supply tunnel project. The project is focused on replacing a water main that was built in the 1930s and is at the end of its service life, according to the district.
During Stage 3 restrictions, Metro Vancouver set a regional water use target of less than 1.4 billion litres per day. The district said that while usage spiked at 1.37 billion litres, the limit was not exceeded.
Mike Hurley, the mayor of Burnaby and chair of Metro Vancouver, thanked residents and businesses for reducing their water use.
“However, with hot and dry weather in the forecast and no snowpack to help refill the reservoirs, conservation will still be key to helping the water supply last until the fall,” Hurley said in the release.