Metro Vancouver renews call to limit water use; strike action escalates

This story has been updated since it was first posted.

Water use hit 1.22 billion litres on Friday – below the maximum threshold of 1.4 billion litres needed to ensure consistent water pressure, according to a release from Metro Vancouver.

“If everyone keeps their sprinklers off, we can meet this reasonable target,” stated Metro Vancouver chair Mike Hurley.

The call for reduced water use coincides with a labour impasse at Metro Vancouver.

Metro Vancouver workers are set to begin picketing this morning at the Coquitlam Watershed and the Coquitlam Water Treatment Plant, as well as operations throughout the region, limiting duties to maintain essential service levels.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union, which represents Metro Vancouver employees, announced the renewed pickets on Sunday. GVRDEU had announced a suspension of pickets on Friday, along with a move to scale back hours for employees in Metro’s regional parks division.

“This escalated job action is being initiated to motivate Metro Vancouver Management to return to the negotiations table without preconditions, in an effort to reach a fair deal for workers,” GVRDEU president Jesse Medeiros stated in the prior release.

Addressing the strike on Friday, Metro Vancouver stated the regional authority was ready to negotiate with a mediator.

“After nearly a year of bargaining, we believe mediation is a practical step to help both parties make progress and reach an agreement in service of the region,” the release stated.

Drinking water will not be impacted by the labour impasse, according to Metro Vancouver.

“Residents can expect no interruption or change to essential services, including safe, clean drinking water, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, air quality monitoring, access to regional parks, and housing,” the release stated.

Restrictions

Using sprinklers or soaker hoses, washing a car or boat, or topping up a swimming pool or water feature are all prohibited during Stage 3 water restrictions.

Those restrictions came into effect June 8 to compensate for a low snowpack and the First Narrows Crossing being out of commission. In the first week of June, daily water use tended to hover between 1.2 and 1.3 billion litres, with more use coinciding with warmer temperatures.