From Sprinklers to Stewardship
With support from Columbia Basin Trust, a range of water conservation initiatives now save millions of litres of treated water each year. Advanced monitoring technology helps detect leaks before they become costly repairs. Plus, the District of Elkford’s efforts to adopt new bylaws promote more sustainable development.
How Elkford Saved Millions of Litres of Water and Built a Culture of Conservation
On summer evenings years ago, sprinklers in Elkford often ran long after residents had gone to bed. “My predecessor used to stay up at night watching our reservoir drop,” recalls Director of Engineering and Public Works Jesse Huisman. “He could see in real-time when water use was so heavy that we would lose our capacity to fight a major fire.”
Today, that’s no longer a concern. With support from Columbia Basin Trust, a range of water conservation initiatives now save millions of litres of treated water each year. Advanced monitoring technology helps detect leaks before they become costly repairs. Plus, the District of Elkford’s efforts to adopt new bylaws promote more sustainable development.
The Trust has worked on water-related priorities for decades—sometimes with greater focus, sometimes less—depending on community needs. From 2011 to 2015, the Trust aimed to “support Basin residents to increase their awareness and understanding of water issues, and to take steps to address issues.”
During this time, Elkford joined the Trust’s Communities Adapting to Climate Change Initiative and launched its WaterSmart project— efforts that continue to influence how the community manages water. Mayor Steve Fairbairn calls this shift part of Elkford’s “management DNA.” Both he and Huisman credit the Trust with instilling stewardship values and a proactive approach to communicating with residents and implementing best practices. “The habits and behaviours the programs encouraged still exist and exist quite successfully,” says Fairbairn.
Instead of worrying about reservoir levels, Huisman now focuses on deepening civic knowledge and refining practices. For example, Elkford is updating the awareness built during its WaterSmart project to align with newer protocols promoted through the FireSmart program. Across the Basin, the Trust’s water initiatives have explored everything from aquatic wildlife health to water availability for agriculture, supported by peer networks, training programs and community stewardship projects. With the release of the 2024–2034 Columbia Basin Management Plan— shaped by resident input—water has returned to the forefront of the Trust’s strategic direction. Elkford’s success shows what’s possible when communities and the Trust work together to protect this vital resource.
“Those of us responsible for managing community water systems work diligently to ensure reliable access to safe, potable water,” says Fairbairn. “So many people are now experiencing water shortages firsthand. Perhaps this why most of the population seems to understand that we simply cannot take water access for granted. We are fortunate that the Trust can bring the region together to address this pressing issue for the sake of current and future generations.”