Ryan_Cope
These days, almost everyone has a cell phone, and all these devices have one thing in common; they can all send and receive messages by text or phone. Mobile phones keep us connected with family and friends, and help us stay tuned-in to our colleagues at work. The ‘smarter’ the phone the more bells and whistles are included, but at the core, it’s a simple device that enhances communication.
Water suppliers are continually looking for ways to smooth and improve lines of communication with their customers, to make information more accessible, and to make that information clear and concise. Could technology help achieve all these goals? The people behind the Okanagan Agriculture Water Supply Status Outreach Pilot Project think so, and are ready to test the waters (so to speak) this summer.
It’s a fact that climate change will cause more extreme weather events. To complicate things further, water supplies within the Okanagan Basin are managed by more than 50 different water purveyors. So, being a grower today is more complex than ever, and adapting to these realities will be critically important in years to come.
We need robust communication systems that deliver lightning-fast information to end users in practical ways.
Here in the Okanagan, a hotter and drier summer means an increase in the vulnerability of our previous water supply. As a grower, you need to know if or when your water supply is changing, so you can make informed decisions about how to manage it throughout the growing season.
Keeping growers informed is the primary goal of the electronic outreach project, which is a partnership involving the Province of BC, Okanagan Basin Water Board, and Okanagan Agricultural Adaptation Working Group. Its aim is to provide timely water supply updates to agricultural water users, especially during times of drought. It will also promote water-use efficiency tactics and tools specific to agricultural customers.
In the past, this information has been relayed to agricultural customers by way of traditional distribution channels such as radio, paper mailings, and print ads in newspapers. But we all have these mini-computers in our pockets… why not make better use of them?
This pilot project is attempting to do just that, and is focusing on two specific water purveyors in the valley to start: Greater Vernon Water and the City of Penticton.
Working with these purveyors, a software tool has been developed that allows agricultural water customers in both of those regions to voluntarily sign up for updates about their water supplies. The best part? Customers can opt-in with their preferred message preferences. Are you thinking, “I already get too many emails!” Easy… sign up for text alerts!! Is texting not your style? Sounds like email alerts might be up your alley. And if you’re not into either, there’s an option for you too… yes, this software will give you a call on your landline with your updates. ■
If you’re interested in taking part in the pilot program, you can sign up today at www.obwb.ca/alerts.