This past summer, British Columbia did not experience drought conditions like previous years. However, the province is still experiencing lower-than-average rainfall and snow, impacting water supply levels across the region, including Galiano. Despite recent heavy precipitation, water supply remains a significant concern as these unprecedented rainfall events occur during fall and winter when water consumption is lowest; while in summer, when water demand is at its highest, precipitation is limited. Water is a limited resource, especially here on Galiano where we experience a Mediterranean climate of wet winters and dry summers. It is estimated that over 80% of the rain that falls on Galiano Island in the winter months is quickly lost to the ocean.
You may be wondering how you can make your home and landscape more resilient for future droughts. The first step is understanding your water consumption. Installing a water meter is a simple and effective way to start conserving water. A water meter measures the volume of water used in your residence, collecting cumulative data throughout the year. The volume of water collected can be tracked to help you understand your household’s consumption levels. Knowing how much water you use can help to identify areas to reduce consumption and develop sustainable water habits.
The Galiano Conservancy Association is also on a mission to better understand water use on the island, where most residents rely on private wells, so understanding our aquifer’s recharge and discharge is particularly tricky. This project builds on our previous One Island One Earth project in 2020-2022, which calculated Galiano’s Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity (learn more about these terms and our findings HERE). One of our discoveries was that our current understanding of water usage on Galiano and other Gulf Islands is based on proxy models. Therefore, the accuracy of water availability assumptions remain uncertain.
The GCA is trying to remedy the lack of data while simultaneously helping islanders start their water conservation journey by offering a $250 rebate for residents who want to purchase and install a water meter. In return, we ask that you report your water usage displayed on the water meter every quarter (three months) to the Conservation & Climate Action Coordinator at the GCA. This data will help us gain a clearer understanding of water use across Galiano. All data remains completely anonymous and is used solely to develop a better understanding of water use. If you are interested in signing up, please use the link HERE to reserve your rebate.
If you have any questions about the rebate or water conservation, please follow the links or email water@galianoconservancy.ca.
