Port Renfrew's reservoir is running low, and crews can't say when the water's back
A water main leak found Thursday left the village 100 km west of Victoria on reservoir water alone, and the CRD wants showers short and sprinklers off until further notice.
A leak in Port Renfrew's water main was discovered Thursday, and crews shut the line down to repair it. That left the community of about 100 kilometres west of Victoria drawing on reservoir water alone, which the Capital Regional District says was already very low.
The CRD issued a water conservation alert, asking residents to use water only for drinking and sanitation, keep showers short, and skip all outdoor use. Reservoir levels are still dropping, and the district warns they could hit a critical low without conservation.
No timeline has been given for when repairs will be done.
Port Renfrew isn't alone in watching the taps this summer. The Cowichan Valley Regional District moves to Stage 3 restrictions on Friday, July 3, banning lawn sprinklers, while the Shellwood and Dogwood systems jump to Stage 4 the same day. All of Vancouver Island is at drought level 4 on the province's five-point scale, with a warmer-than-usual summer in the forecast.
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