Kelowna, B.C. – The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) has approved $300,000 in funding to 18 projects that will help conserve and improve the quality of water in the valley. Directors approved the Water Conservation and Quality Improvement (WCQI) Grants at their regular board meeting on Tuesday, March 3. In all, there were 34 applications with a total ask of $643,138.
“Once again, we had great interest in the program from throughout the valley and excellent applications,” noted James Littley, OBWB’s Office and Projects Manager, providing highlights from each region.
In the North Okanagan, projects include a flood mapping project on Swan Lake and irrigation improvements at Okanagan College’s Kalamalka demonstration garden. Also, Greater Vernon Water was awarded funds to help conduct a land use and water quality assessment of Swan Lake. “For the last 40 years, the OBWB has been helping Okanagan communities move from sewer to septic and seen dramatic improvements to the water quality in our lakes,” added Littley. “Swan Lake presents an opportunity to look at how an area with no sewer system and a range of land uses – residential, agriculture, industry, and roads – can affect water and inform better land use planning decisions, in Vernon and beyond.”