Rainwater harvesting and other preparations for a less water secure future

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - In the conclusion of a series of four broadcasts about the island’s looming water problem, Jude McCormick, Bernie Amell, Kris Wellstein and Mike Gall describe some of the initiatives the Quadra ICAN water security team is taking.

They have good reason to suspect water is becoming less abundant , as the climate continues to shift and the expanding network of roads, ditches houses and other human infrastructure disrupts the penetration of rainwater. There are numerous reports of lower water levels in island wells; once year-round wetlands are drying up in the summer; many cedar and spruce trees appear to be stressed. These anecdotal evidences are backed up by data from the island’s Provincial Groundwater Observation Well, which shows that Quadra Island’s water levels have been dropping for the past twelve years.

One of the most popular local responses is to take pressure off Quadra’s aquifers by rainwater harvesting.

Jude McCormick, the water security team leader, explained that people are taking the water that falls on their roofs for a variety of purposes. Many use it to water their garden. Some store water for fire suppression. One of her neighbours in Granite Bay built their house on solid rock and have been totally dependent on rainwater since they moved to Quadra Island in 2005.

“They built their house with a lot of roof surface and, I think, put in two 1,500 gallon storage tanks. They can run their electricity from that, their toilets and all their domestic use.”

Bernie Amell and his wife use a composting toilet and have otherwise obtained all of their water from rainwater harvesting this past year.

“We are able to get 30 litres per day per person for water use, which means we made it through the drought with a fair reserve of water still in our tanks. It’s feasible to do because we do because we do have a good rainy season,” he said.

The Quadra ICAN water security team sells 250 gallon water storage containers at cost and helps people them set up.

Kris Wellstein said a lot of people have have been using them to collect rainwater for their gardens.

“Some people are being very effective at that, and taking the strain off the aquifer at this time,” she said.

A few Quadra Island residents are digging ponds to store water.

Mike Gall said, “If you really think about it, everybody is living off rainwater. The aquifers are recharged by the rain that comes from God, from the sky. It is really that simple.”

He stressed the idea that whether you are talking about power or water, “the best method to get yourself green is to conserve.”

“If you can find ways to conserve, that is more efficient than anything else you can do and it costs you literally nothing. It is just a change in your methodology.”

The security team has a number of educational initiatives underway. They are also collecting information about individual wells and plotting their locations on a map.

“I think we’ll get people thinking about it and there will be less sprinklers on gardens and lawns, and more drip systems in their gardens,” said Wellstein. “Perhaps people will start to think what they are doing with their properties a little more as their awareness of water security consciousness is raised.”

Photo credit: Jude McCormick, Kris Wellsetin and Bernie Amell with 250 litre water containers - Courtesy Quadra ICAN water security team