Latest news with #waterconservation
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘Use a lot less water': Environment Lethbridge plants new drought-resilient garden on city's west side
Drought-resistent plants are the focus of a new garden in Tartan Park in West Highlands in Lethbridge. Conserving water and finding alternative planting options is the focus of a new garden installed on Lethbridge's west side. A new drought-resilient garden has been installed in Tartan Park in West Highlands as a way to demonstrate the possibilities of drought-resilient landscaping in Lethbridge. 'The tree that you see is a honey locust tree, which is not a native species, but is drought-resilient,' said Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge. 'We have some native shrubs like snowberry, spirea and then we have some native grasses and plants -- some of things you might see in the coulee like flax.' The garden was built in partnership with the City of Lethbridge and funded by the Wawanesa Local Climate Champions Fund. Sheppard hopes the project will not only add aesthetic value to the park but inspire homeowners to explore different landscaping options. 'So, drought tolerant plants --once they're established so it usually takes about a year where they need a little extra water to grow into their space -- will use a lot less water than plants that are not native to this area or just need more water overall to grow,' Sheppard said. Planning for future With water levels of the Oldman Reservoir sitting slightly below normal and a hot, dry summer forecasted, Sheppard says residents should be planning for the future now. 'Using drought-tolerant plants doesn't mean you have to use lots of rocks and lots of cactuses,' she said. 'Our weather is increasingly hot and dry and so that means if we want to have landscaping in our homes that doesn't consume so much water, then we need to be looking at some of these alternatives.' The City of Lethbridge parks department is finding ways to be sustainable in its own spaces throughout the city. 'We do have a large list of trees that are resilient to the changing climate so those are being implemented in different urban parks,' said Raene Barber, sustainability engineer with the City of Lethbridge. 'As well, our parks department is doing naturalization projects within urban parks as well so looking at instead of planting turf grass, planting native species.' The planting of drought-resilient plants marks the start of Environment Week in Lethbridge. Tree planting Both Environment Lethbridge and the city will host a tree planting event in Redwood, Lakeview and Columbia parks next week. A Beyond the Bin recycling roundup will take place on June 7 at Park Place Mall. The event will be open to residents to bring paint, electronics and other challenging recyclables to be collected by the city. The city will also be hosting a birding workshop and a 'how to build your own rain barrel' event throughout next week. 'Everything matters when it comes to the environment so even if it's something small that you're doing in your home, it absolutely makes a difference,' said Barber. Next week is Environment Week! ♻️🌱 Join us each day as we share stories and practical tips to help reduce waste, save water and more. Let's work together to protect our planet and build a greener future! 🌎💚 Follow along 👉 — City of Lethbridge (@LethbridgeCity) May 30, 2025 Applications are now open for the city's environment incentive program. The program offers rebates for purchasing rain barrels and replacing old toilets with new low-flow toilets. A full list of Environment Week activities can be found here.
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Mapped: Where hosepipe bans could come into effect after major drought warning
A hosepipe ban could be on the cards this summer, experts have warned, following one of the driest springs on record. The Environment Agency (EA) said Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire have moved from 'prolonged dry weather ' to 'drought' status. Despite recent rain, water levels in the region remain low, the EA said, although no other areas of the country are in drought. There are no current plans to impose a hosepipe ban. Dr Jess Neumann, associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, said the northwest of England had seen the driest spring in nearly 100 years, which led to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers. She told The Independent: "The risk of a hosepipe ban in England is currently at a "medium level" according to the EA following an unseasonably dry spring across most of the country. 'In the North West, there is a good chance that water-saving measures will need to be introduced if there continues to be a lack of rain in the region. 'However it is hopeful that with a change in weather called a hosepipe ban) can be avoided." The map below shows the areas in the UK where a potential hosepipe ban could be implemented if the drought continues: When a hosepipe ban – officially called a temporary use ban – is imposed, people are banned from using them for things such as watering their gardens, filling a paddling pool and washing their cars. People who breach the ban without permission from the water company could be fined up to £1,000. The EA said hosepipe bans were a matter for water companies, but they were expected to follow their drought plans, taking appropriate steps to reduce demand and leakage, to ensure more water is left in the environment for farmers and wildlife. United Utilities, the region's water company, said the EA's drought status for the North West doesn't have any immediate impact on customers but has encouraged customers to use water wisely. A spokesperson said: 'We are grateful for the support of customers as we've seen demand reduce thanks to their efforts in saving water where they can, combined with more recent rainfall and cooler temperatures. 'Reservoirs, however, are still lower than we'd expect at this time of year and so we're continuing to move water around our integrated network to get it to where it is needed, as well as bringing extra water into the system from other sources around the region. 'Leakage is at its lowest level and we're repairing record volumes, with customers supporting us by reporting more leaks and we'd ask that they continue to do that as well as doing all they can to save and recycle water, to help protect their local environment.'
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Thames Water tells customers to ‘fix leaky loos' amid hosepipe ban fears
Thames Water has told customers to 'fix leaky loos' amid fears of a hosepipe ban caused by the unusually dry spring weather. The water company has written to households urging them to 'be mindful' about water usage, but stopped short of implementing a hosepipe ban despite Britain facing its driest spring in 69 years. Thames Water, which provides water to 16 million people across London and the south of England, told customers to 'avoid wasting water and fix leaky loos and dripping taps as soon as you can'. It said doing so would allow the company to keep reservoirs full and make sure there would be enough water to withstand dry periods. It comes as five regions across the north of England were moved to drought status by the Environment Agency (EA) because reservoirs and rivers are at such low levels. On Thursday, the EA moved Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, and Lancashire from 'prolonged dry weather' to drought status, with reservoirs and rivers at low levels. 'A hosepipe ban is certainly possible' The decision indicated a looming hosepipe ban, according to Dr Jess Neumann, associate professor of hydrology at the University of Reading, who said: 'Putting the North West into a drought status tells the water company they need to start putting into place their drought action plan. 'That will include telling people to use their water in a more conservative way, to be mindful. A hosepipe ban is certainly possible, that is the way it is looking.' She added that without 'steady, constant rainfall for a good couple of months', a hosepipe ban was 'on the horizon'. Thames Water has no plans for a hosepipe ban at this stage, The Telegraph understands. A spokesman for the firm said: 'April 2025 saw significantly less rain than the year before, and we do encourage customers to use water wisely through the spring and summer months. 'Our water resources are in a healthy place ahead of this summer, as rainfall was above average through the winter months. Of note, our reservoir levels are at 95 per cent. Groundwater levels also remain above average for this time of year for most of the areas in which we operate. 'We all have a role to play when it comes to saving water. It is a precious resource, and we need to value it, which is why we are asking everyone to play their part in reducing use.' The last hosepipe ban was introduced by South East Water in June 2023 and affected people in Kent and Sussex. In 2022, a drought and a series of record heatwaves led five water companies to impose a ban on a total of 19 million customers to ensure drinking and wastewater services were prioritised. Chris Weston, Thames Water's chief executive, said the company had learnt the lessons from that summer, when it was reported that it came 'dangerously close' to running out of water.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Dargaville residents asked to conserve water, reservoir at 10%
environment about 1 hour ago Dargaville residents are being asked to conserve water after maintenance teams have worked for hours to patch major breaks in the system. At one point the towns reservoir was down to 10 percent full. Water trucks from Whangarei, Maungaturoto and Ruawai have been pumping water back into the town supply, but have been struggling to keep pace. Kaipara District Council CEO Jason Marris spoke to Lisa Owen.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Dargaville residents asked to conserve water
environment 17 minutes ago Dargaville residents are being asked to conserve water.... after maintenance teams have worked for hours to patch four major breaks in the system.
