Mayors from nearly every Okanagan municipality pledged their commitment to sustainable water use and urged residents to do the same this week.

The mayors joined students from 脡cole Glenmore Elementary at the kick-off event Thursday for Make Water Work, an annual campaign from the Okanagan Basin Water Board to encourage water conservation.

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran made his pledge is to be more responsible when watering his garden and lawn.

害羞草研究所淲e are becoming more and more urban,害羞草研究所� said Basran. 害羞草研究所淭hat means it害羞草研究所檚 more important than ever that we make sure that the plants and our lawn get watered and not the pavement.害羞草研究所�

The campaign, being in its ninth year, is an annual competition between Okanagan municipalities, one which Kelowna has never won.

害羞草研究所淢y challenge is for the residents of Kelowna to take this seriously because it is a big deal,害羞草研究所� said Basran.

The mayor urges the public to make sure 害羞草研究所渨e are preserving water and making sure there is an abundant supply for not only tomorrow, but for many years to come.害羞草研究所�

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The theme of this year害羞草研究所檚 campaign is to practice water sustainability in gardens, adopting the floral ideas provided by the 害羞草研究所淢ake Water Work in your yard害羞草研究所� plant collection.

The collection is comprised of plants whose biological attributes allow them to survive in drought conditions.

The Glenmore students created their own school garden using the Make Water Work plant options as their guide.

害羞草研究所淭he Hardy Ice Plant can get as high as three inches and spreads to about 20 (inches) and needs full sun and one drop (of water),害羞草研究所� said Grade 5 student Maddie Boback.

Fellow student Cayla Kennedy explained how 害羞草研究所渢he Cushion Spurge害羞草研究所檚 height is 14 inches, it spreads up to 18 inches and in the full sun takes two water drops and in part sun, one water drop.害羞草研究所�

Classmate Charley Dowhaniuk cited the Rose Glow Barberry 害羞草研究所渟lowly reaches four feet wide and five feet high, is best in full sun and part shade and grows in any soil and needs to be watered regularly weekly, or more often in extreme heat.害羞草研究所�

These are just three plants on the thorough and extensive list that can be found on the website.

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害羞草研究所淲e learned about why you want to use waterized plants to use less water,害羞草研究所� said Connor Brasnett, a Grade 5 student in charge of building the wooden structure of the gardens. 害羞草研究所淚t was really cool and fun because we didn害羞草研究所檛 have to do school work.害羞草研究所�

The school garden project had the support of many stakeholders to help the students along the way.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been working with my colleague, Lisa Marques, to teach our students about how we can use water more wisely in the Okanagan,害羞草研究所� said Katie Wihak, a Grade 5 French immersion teacher.

害羞草研究所�(The students) were definitely really excited to work together, to use their hands and to see something come to fruition.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e been able to do this because of our administrators and the parents who came and helped as well as reaching out to the community and having their support,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淪o it害羞草研究所檚 really a group effort.害羞草研究所�

Although the event is over, that isn害羞草研究所檛 stopping Glenmore from continuing on the track they害羞草研究所檝e begun.

害羞草研究所淥ur goal is to turn this space into an outdoor learning centre,害羞草研究所� explained Wihak. 害羞草研究所淓ventually we want to build a pergola so there will be some shade for the students and we can work and play outside.害羞草研究所�

The OBWB says nearly a quarter of all water used in the Okanagan is doused on household lawns and gardens.

The valley is already at a disadvantage by having less water per person than anywhere else in Canada, despite having one of the highest usage rates per person.