Leaving the lawn sprinklers on for hours at a time is not only wasteful - it is unnecessary.
With high temperatures gripping the region, Metro Vancouver and the city of Port Coquitlam is asking residents to conserve water by reducing how much they dump on their grass.
An hour a week is all the average lawn needs at a time of year when water use almost doubles, according to a city press release.
Metro Vancouver is also imposing lawn sprinkling restrictions.
Between now and Sept. 30, even numbered residential homes are permitted to sprinkle their lawns between 4 and 9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Odd-numbered residences may sprinkle during the same time period on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunds.
Even numbered commercial properties may sprinkle lawns between 1 and 6 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays while odd-numbered properties may water their grass during the same time period on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
All non-residential properties may sprinkle between 4 and 9 a.m. on Fridays and new lawns require a permit from the municipality in order to be exempt from the restrictions.
Exceptions to the sprinkling regulations include flower and vegetable gardens, decorative planters, shrubs and trees. Residents are also allowed to wash their cars or boats with a spring-loaded shut off nozzle.
According to Metro Vancouver, one hour of lawn sprinkling uses as much water as 25 toilet flushes, five loads of laundry and five dishwasher loads combined.
For more information on the city of Port Coquitlam's water restriction go to www.portcoquitlam.ca/sprinkling or by calling 604-927-5420.
WAYS TO SAVE WATER
A healthy lawn only needs to be watered for one hour per week - even less if it rains;
Let your lawn go dormant during the summer;
Most lawns only need 2.5 cm of water each week. Put an empty tuna can on the lawn when you sprinkle and turn off the tap when the can is full;
And reduce evaporation by keeping your glass clippings on the lawn and mulch in your garden.
-City of Port Coquitlam
