Highlights from the Oct. 6, 2026 meeting of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, held at the Regional District of North Okanagan.

Goodbye to Two Long-Serving Board Directors

In the final OBWB meeting before the upcoming local government elections, OBWB said a fond farewell to two long-serving board members who are retiring from public service.

Director Sue McKortoff of RDOS (Mayor of Osoyoos), was thanked for her 12 years of service, including serving as Board Chair. Director Rick Fairbairn, of RDNO (Electoral Area D) has spent an extraordinary 21 years serving on the Okanagan Basin Water Board, helping guide the Water Management Program from its beginnings through two decades of growth and evolution.

The Board and staff expressed its sincere appreciation to both Directors for their many years of thoughtful leadership, commitment to regional collaboration, and working on behalf of Okanagan water.

Town of Oliver Crowned 2026 Make Water Work Champion

The Town of Oliver has been crowned the 2026 Make Water Work Community Champion, earning the highest number of water conservation pledges per capita among participating Okanagan communities.



The annual challenge encourages residents to pledge to conserve water and adopt WaterWise landscaping practices. As of the Board meeting, more than 800 pledges had been submitted across the Okanagan, surpassing last year's record participation levels. While Kelowna and West Kelowna led in total pledges submitted, Oliver secured the championship title through its strong per-capita participation.

The Make Water Work campaign helps residents save water outdoors while promoting drought resilience across the valley. Participants remain eligible for campaign prize draws through Oct. 16. When pledges close two lucky participants will be randomly drawn to be this year’s winners of the $1,000 prize! 

Communications Coordinator Amanda Burnett Embarks on a New Chapter

After three years as OBWB’s in-house Communications Coordinator, Amanda Burnett is embarking on a new chapter, launching her own freelance communications business, Burnett Communications. Amanda will continue to be a familiar face at OBWB community events and behind the scenes of OBWB social media, as the OBWB looks forward to working with her in a new capacity as one of her clients.

Through her new business, Amanda will provide communications services to local governments and non-profit organizations, specializing in community outreach, public engagement, and creative design. The Board and staff thank Amanda for her many contributions to the OBWB and wish her every success in this exciting next chapter.

Amanda can be reached at: amanda@burnettcommunications.ca

Water Scarcity Levels Remain High as Drought Conditions Persist this October

Weekly average streamflow conditions at monitored locations across the Okanagan, expressed relative to the historical range for each station. Data source: Water Survey of Canada and Okanagan Basin Water Board hydrometric monitoring stations, as of Oct. 1, 2026.

In the latest drought report, Board Directors heard that the valley remains deep in a precipitation deficit. While the rain in September was most welcome, cumulative annual precipitation for the valley continues to fall well below normal levels, with substantial deficits persisting.

With climate forecasts indicating a strong likelihood of warmer and drier-than-normal conditions this winter, Board Directors discussed their concerns for community water supplies, agriculture, fish habitat and ecosystems. Staff advised that encouraging ongoing water conservation efforts, support for drought 2027 preparedness, and advocacy for long-term investments in water infrastructure will remain critical priorities.

OBWB Reviews Findings from Communications and Website Assessment



Board Directors received an overview of preliminary findings from a communications and website assessment conducted by Csek Creative. As part of the process, Csek gathered feedback to better understand how the OBWB is perceived, how people interact with its communications and website, and where improvements could be made.

The feedback provided valuable insights into what people know about the OBWB, what they value about its work, and where there are opportunities to improve communication and accessibility of information. The findings will help inform the development of a new website and broader communications strategy, with a focus on making it easier for people to understand the OBWB's role and access its programs and resources.

Now that the Town of Oliver has claimed the 2026 Community Champion title, there is less than 24 hours left for Okanagan residents to Take the Pledge and be entered to win 1 of 2 amazing WaterWise prizepacks.

The 2026 Make Water Work pledge numbers as of Oct. 15, 2026.

North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) Symposium

💧 Swimming Upstream: Tackling Environmental Challenges through Partnership, Innovation, & Science

🗓️ Nov. 2 - 6, 2026

📍Kelowna

ℹ️ Registration is open

Want to support our goal to educate residents on water in the Okanagan? Follow us on social media, like and share our content, and leave us a comment — your engagement helps us reach more people.

Resources