The Town of Okotoks is advising residents that water flows in the Sheep River are currently at an 18-year low.
While the Town’s licensed water supply is sufficient to meet community needs, its wells are experiencing reduced production capacity, which is abnormal for this time of year.
“Due to the fluctuating nature of the Sheep River with high and low flows, Okotoks is a water-challenged community and we must all work together to conserve water,” said Davey Robertson, water services manager. “Residents are encouraged to practice responsible water use by adhering to the outdoor watering schedule to help alleviate the pressure on our wells.”
Like many municipalities across Canada, Okotoks follows an outdoor watering schedule to maintain its water supply level and balance the water reserves available to meet the community’s daily needs. For residents concerned about their gardens, hand watering is always an option and may be done at any time when using a container or manual trigger nozzle to water flowers, vegetable gardens and newly planted trees or shrubs until they are established.
The Town says it’s committed to conserving and protecting its water supply and will continue to manage water resources wisely by monitoring river flows and adjusting well production accordingly. The support of residents is needed to help manage the water supply and the Town is asking the community to assist by reducing water consumption.
For more information on the outdoor watering schedule and ways to help conserve water, visit okotoks.ca/water-schedule.
