Oftice, Editorial 985-2131 North Shore reservoirs remain low despite weekend downpour DESPITE RECENT rains, low North Shore reservoir water levels continue to raise region-wide concerns as the Lower Mainland approaches its annual period of peak water demand. On Tuesday, the Greater Van- couver Regional District (GVRD) sent out letters by courier to municipal engineers stressing the need for voluntary compliance with minimum water-use guidelines. GVRD water planning and operations administrator Tom Heath said the two-day downpour of rain on Friday and Saturday raised Capilano Lake ceservoir fevels by about three feet and Seymour Lake reservoir’s levels **some,"’ but both Lower Mainland water sources remain low for this time of year. “The rain didn’t do enough.” Heath said on Tuesday. He said Capilano was still down nine feet and Seymour was down approximately five feet at a time of year when both reservoirs are normiaily spilling excess water. Current water levels at both reservoirs are normal for late Ju- ly. Capilano and Seymour provide approximately 80% of the Lower Mainland’s drinking water. Co- quitiam Lake reservoir traditional- ly provides the remaining 20%. Heath said the GVRD was using the Coquitlam reservoir to try to offset the demand on the two North Shore reservoirs, but he said using the Coquitlam slowed the rate of withdrawal from Capilano and Seymour by a small percentage, ‘‘probably 10% or less.”’ He said approximately five to six dass of rain is needed to fill the local reservoirs. He said when it rains, the de- mand for water declines at least 30%. **It’s a two-fold thing, you get the water flowing into the lakes and also the demand drops back By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter sharply,’’ Heath said. Meanwhile, West Vancouver’s Eagle Lake reservoir is 25% below normal. Eagle Lake traditionally serves Caulfeild, Cypress Estates, Horse- shee Bay and the Whytecliff area. West Vancouver’s waterworks superintendent Kevin Ramsay said emergency pumps had been used since last week to pump water from Capilano Lake to Eagle Lake. West Vancouver has curtailed parks irrigation in the western part of the community to slow the demand on the Eagle Lake reser- voir. According to Environment Canada, the June rainfall received in the Lower Mainland on three days last weck totalled almost the average expected for the month. But the rainfall recorded at Vancouver [nternational Airport shows May to be the third driest May on record, with 15.8 mm (.62 in.} of rain compared with the average 51.6 mm (2.03 in.). In April, the’ Vancouver area received more than double the month’s average rainfall, but rainfall in March hit a record low of 25.9 mm (1.02 in.) compared with the 30-year average of 101 mm (3.97 in.). Besides the lack of rain, low reservoir levels have been at- tributed to an unusually small mountain snowpack. GVRD statistics at the beginn- ing of April show that threc measurements of snowpacks were at 60%, 22% and 22% of the average accumulated levels. index @ Budget Beaters BB Business . . . @ Classified 8 Comics B&B Frugal Gourmet @ Lifestyles.............. 67 @ North Shore Now @ Sports TV Listings @ What's Going On Weather Thursday & Friday. mostly sunny. Highs 23°C, lows £2°, Second Class Registration Number 3885 Sunshine Coast: 28 Women in business Special feature: 35 Display Advertising 980-0511 Classitieds 986-6222 Distribution 996-1337 photo Nel Luecnto NORTH VANCOUVER City Mayor Jack Loucks (centre) and North Vancouver District Mayor Murray Dykeman (right) install a Power Smart light bulb into one of North Vancouver City's many street lamps. Steve Fowles, 8.C. Hydro field manager, tooks on to ensure that the job is done right. Both the city and district have converted to energy-saving street lamps which are expected to save taxpayers thousands of dollars in electricity costs each year. Dykeman said the district could save over $20,000 annually. Soth municipalities received Power Smart rebates from B.C. Hydro to help with the changeover.