Congratulations to our community champions!

Each year we announce a Make Water Work Champion Community based on the most pledges collected per capita. CONGRATULATIONS to the TOWN OF OLIVER – 2024 MAKE WATER WORK COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS! Read the news release here.

2025 – Town of Osoyoos

(L-R) OBWB Directors Bob Fleming, Tim Lezard, Victor Cumming and Kevin Kraft, OBWB Executive Director Melissa Tesche, Alt-Director Shirley Fowler, OBWB Chair Blair Ireland presents the Make Water Work 2025 Community Champion certificate to Osoyoos Mayor and OBWB Director Sue McKortoff, OBWB Director Wayne Carson, OBWB Vice Chair Doug Holmes, OBWB Directors Subrina Monteith and Bob Hrasko, and Okanagan Xeriscape Association Executive Director Sigrie Kendrick.

2024 – Town of Oliver

Town of Oliver Project Coordinator Adam Goodwin accepts the 2024 Make Water Work Community Champion award on behalf of the Town of Oliver and Mayor Martin Johansen. Also pictured from left to right are Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) Directors Victor Cumming, Sue McKortoff, Christine Fraser and Doug Holmes, alongside OBWB Alternate Director Shirley Fowler, City of West Kelowna Mayor Gord Milsom, and OBWB Board Chair Blair Ireland.

2023 – City of Armstrong

Okanagan mayors celebrate the City of Armstrong’s 6th win as Make Water Work Community Champions. (Left to right) Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming, Armstrong Coun. Shirley Fowler, Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser, and Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff.

Okanagan mayors celebrate the City of Armstrong’s 6th win as Make Water Work Community Champions. (Left to right) Lake Country Mayor Blair Ireland, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming, Armstrong Coun. Shirley Fowler, Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser, and Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff.

2022 – City of Armstrong

City of Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper is presented with the “Make Water Work Community Champion” award by Okanagan Xeriscape Association ’s Sigrie Kendrick, on behalf of the Okanagan Basin Water Board- Okanagan WaterWise

City of Armstrong used several tactics to raise awareness for water conservation, including posting a Facebook video with Mayor Chris Pieper sharing tips to make water work best.  

2021 - District of Peachland

Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin with the district’s three “Make Water Work Community Champion” certificates, representing wins in 2016, 2019, and 2021.

2020 - City of Armstrong

OBWB Chair Sue McKortoff (and Mayor of Osoyoos) uses the COVID-friendly way of congratulating Mayor of Armstrong Chris Pieper for his municipality’s win of the Make Water Work Community Champion title… again.
This was Armstrong’s 4th win, after claiming the title in 2015, 2017 and 2018.

Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper raised some eyebrows when he posed with a doctored “Make Water Work Champions – 2020” certificate at the launch of this year’s campaign. Guess it wasn’t just wishful thinking!

2019 - District of Peachland

Peachland declared its intent to reclaim their Make Water Work Community Champion title and did it! On hand for the announcement of the winner at the OBWB’s Annual Meeting was (l to r) Summerland Mayor Toni Boot, West Kelowna Coun. (past OBWB Chair) Doug Findlater, Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming, RDNO Vice-Chair and OBWB Alt. Dir. Amanda Shatzko, Osoyoos Mayor and OBWB Chair Sue McKortoff, and Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin. Pieper, representing 2018 winner Armstrong, and Fortin exchanged gifts from their home communities – Armstrong Cheese and Peachland peaches – and even shared with their fellow community reps.

Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin, collecting pledges at the local IGA, encouraging residents to be WaterWise through the summer.

2018 - City of Armstrong

Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper receives congratulations from 2018 OBWB Chair & Kelowna City Coun. Tracy Gray for his city’s third win of the Make Water Work Champions title.

Gracious winner, Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper, invited his fellow elected reps on stage at the OBWB’s Annual Meeting to be recognized for their communities’ efforts to conserve & ‘Make Water Work.’ He even brought gifts of Armstrong-made cheese, thinking he was going to have to make good on a bet if his community lost. (l to r) Osoyoos Mayor Sue McKortoff, City of Vernon Coun. Juliette Cunningham, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater, City of Kelowna Coun. Tracy Gray, Pieper, and Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin.

2017 - City of Armstrong

(l to r) OBWB Chair & Kelowna City Coun. Tracy Gray presents Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper with a plaque at the board’s Annual Meeting, declaring Armstrong as 2017 Make Water Work Champions, with MWW program manager Corinne Jackson.

In 2017, Make Water Work garden centre partner Blue Mountain Nursery in Armstrong-Spallumcheen hosted a MWW Week event to promote WaterWise gardening and the MWW Plant Collection.

2016 - District of Peachland

2016 OBWB Chair and West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater presents Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin with the “Make Water Work 2016 Champions” Award, recognizing the Okanagan community that collected the greatest number of pledges to conserve water and Make Water Work in 2016.

Peachland hosted its own Make Water Work event in 2016 to encourage outdoor water conservation, inviting Okanagan Xeriscape Assoc.’s Gwen Steele to provide WaterWise gardening tips, giving away plants from the Make Water Work Plant Collection, and more.

2015 - City of Armstrong

Armstrong Mayor Chris Pieper proudly shows off his community’s Make Water Work Championship title. Armstrong won the title with the most Make Water Work pledges collected per capita than any other Okanagan municipality in the valley.

As the hot, dry summer persisted and drought deepened in the Okanagan, Armstrong posted signs around town asking residents to help save water and not water lawns.

2014 - Town of Oliver

(l to r) Mayor Ron Hovanes accepts recognition for the Town of Oliver as “Make Water Work Champion 2014” from Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) Executive Director Anna Warwick Sears, and OBWB Chair Doug Findlater. The Town of Oliver was recognized at the Water Board’s Annual Meeting.

The Town of Oliver’s Ryan Seiling out in the community, helping ensure the district follows WaterWise practices and encouraging residents to Make Water Work effectively and efficiently in their yards.