Conservation progress

Charlottetown making headway on efforts to reduce usage with meter and rain barrel programs and much more.

The next phase of Charlottetown’s water meter program will see meters installed between Riverside Drive and Belvedere Avenue in the area around Westridge Crescent.

The city’s residential water meter program, launched in October, has seen about 350 meters installed to date.

That is in addition to the more than 2,200 that have been installed since 2010.

A map of the zones is available on the city’s website at www.charlottetown.ca/WaterMeters.php.

The new meters will allow customers to track their water use as well as detect leaks in their home.

When it comes to conservation efforts, the Water and Sewer Utility is already preparing for the year ahead; reviewing the success of previous conservation programs and gearing up for increased efforts in water loss management, renewed incentives and the next phase of the residential water meter installation program.

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee says department efforts and commitment from the public is making a difference.

“The utility programs have been extremely successful, but the last thing we want to become is complacent,’’ Lee said. “Water conservation must continue to be priority into 2016 and beyond.”

The city also distributed all of its rain barrels, gave away more than 250 lowflow showerheads, sold 70 water conservation kits, provided more than 100 clothes washer rebates, and was instrumental in phasing out toilets that had a flush cycle using more than six litres through its low-flow toilet rebate program.

Coun. Eddie Rice, chairman of the utility committee, says the city is focusing on water loss management, which includes looking into updating source meters to newer technology to ensure greater accuracy in extraction reporting and the implementation of a leak survey program.

“This program, once implemented, will lead to less costly repairs and fewer damages from large main breaks,’’ Rice said.