Updated Water Restrictions for Salmon Arm in 2024
Officials of the City of Salmon Arm have updated water restrictions for the year 2024. The staff
have made same changes in comparison to the previous year of 2023, largely due to high complaints
from house owners, who were not allowed to water their gardens during the Stage 4 of water
restrictions.
Last year, on August 18th, Chief Executive Officer Erin Jackson; the Director of engineering and
public works, Robert Niewenhuzein; and utility manager John Rasmuson brought Stage 4 water
restrictions into effect on the 21st of August 2023, which was approved by the council.
Stage 4 was in effect until August 30, 2023. During that time, gardeners, local farmers, and
even commercial food producers were not allowed to water their crops. Thirteen days without
water during the high summer would be sure to kill all vegetables and berry shrubs; so, many continued
to water, defying the restriction rather than lose everything. Not only the crops of that year, but
seedlings and perennial plants for other seasons would have also been affected.
By a new updated policy, food producing plants, shrubs and trees can be watered 2 hours per
day by soaker hose (manual or automatic), by sprinkler and drip irrigation, or manual hand watering
(watering can). A hose is permitted when necessary during all stages of water restrictions.
Properties over 1/2 acre (0.2 hectares) in size are still not permitted to irrigate with City
water. This includes properties with farm status. Failure to comply with these restrictions may
result in a fine, metered water rates, or a discontinuation of service.
But these changes will be not for free. In December of last year, representatives of the
Incorporation of the City of Salmon Arm announced upcoming changes in utility rates. Beginning on
January 1, 2024, there has been a 30% increase in water rates and a 10% increase in
sanitary rates.
It is good that after pressure from the public the policy has undergone some change. But it is still
very questionable as to why officials of the City are not permitting food producers and farmers on
properties bigger than ½ acre to water their crops regularly , thus forcing them to find other sources of
water, such as drilling a water well (app. $30.000, CAD) or having water delivered by cistern; or resorting
to them breaking this unreasonable bylaw. In this day and age, it is especially important for us to
support our local food producers to the utmost, and keep fresh produce available for our
community and families.
DB, NA
