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Introduction and Background Information
Over a number of years, various groups of dedicated volunteers have been monitoring the consumption of water within our community and how it is being used. One of the largest annual budget items within each of our five strata groups is the cost of water.
During this period, a variety of improvements and adaptations have been made in an attempt to reduce our annual water consumption and water costs, without compromising the beauty and enjoyment we draw from our seaside community.
Four of the five strata groups are served by one main water line system. Water for Arbutus Grove, Meadow Beach, Seaside Village and Shorehaven all runs through one water meter at the top of Langara Place. This system also supplies the Beach Club Complex. The Onyx has its own independent water meter system.
The City of Parksville issues semi-annual bills for the water that is controlled by this one meter – one billing at the beginning of April each year for the preceding six month period (October 1st – March 31st) and one at the beginning of October for the preceding six-month period (April 1st to September 30th). The costs for each of these billings are then re-distributed to each strata on a pro-rated formula, based on the number of residential units within each strata.
Studies conducted over the past few years have consistently shown that approximately 70% of our water consumption during the summer billing cycle (from April 1st to September 30th) is for irrigation purposes. This is a significant component of our annual water bills. Consequently, we have been focusing on this primary component as we seek ways to reduce our overall consumption and reduce our annual costs for water as well as utilizing good water conservation practices.
The Big Issue
The visual impact of the physical landscaping, the lawns, shrubs and trees are one of the attractive features for people choosing to live in Craig Bay. Everyone you speak to always comments on the beauty of our little seaside community.
There has been much debate over the years about the costs and the benefits of maintaining our community as one of Parksville’s “green jewels”. Some residents state that they expect the lawn areas to be green and lush all year round. Others feel we should cut back on watering our large common areas and let them “brown out” in the heat of the summer, as part of the normal, annual growing cycle. There is no consensus on what is the best practice for us to use here in Craig Bay.
This Survey
This year, a group of volunteers representing Arbutus Grove, Meadow Beach, Seaside Village and Shorehaven, along with a group of four residents who have a depth of knowledge about our water system, our irrigation systems and our pond systems, has been established. The Craig Bay Water Study Group was formed at the request of the Presidents’ Round Table and it was tasked with developing realistic strategies and recommendations to ensure that we use a “best practices approach” in water consumption and water conservation.
It is clear that in order to carry out this assignment, we need to identify a set of “Community Expectations and Standards for Landscaping and Irrigation Practices” for all of Craig Bay Estates. This is no easy task – to create standards that will be generally acceptable to the residents of all 429 units within our five strata groups. With an acceptable set of standards, the stewards who maintain our irrigation system can work to ensure that our annual irrigation work plan is carried out in a way that meets our shared community expectations.
To help us in establishing a common set of acceptable standards, we are seeking input from all residents within Craig Bay. This survey asks for your personal opinions on various aspects of our landscaping and irrigation practices, now and into the future.
Please take the time to respond to this survey so that we can, once and for all, develop a set of standards that enables us to retain the beauty of our community in the most cost effective way possible. If we can do this, we all share in the benefits to be achieved. If we cannot do this, we all have to share the burden of excessive costs due to ineffective practices for water usage.
Thank you.
Craig Bay Water Study Group |
