Watering restrictions start today in the cities of Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows and across Metro Vancouver.
Stage 1 restrictions will now be in place until Tuesday, Oct. 15, in order to maintain an adequate supply of water over the summer months, especially the dry summer that has been forecasted this year.
The City of Maple Ridge noted that water usage can increase by up to 50 per cent in the summer and early fall, largely due to lawn watering.
“The region-wide watering regulations are an effective way to help us use our drinking water,” the city says online.
Starting Wednesday, May 1, only even addresses are permitted to water their lawns on Saturday mornings, and odd addresses on Sunday mornings – with automatic watering to take place from 5-7 a.m. and from 6-9 a.m. only manual watering.
For residential gardens, shrubs, trees, and planters, they can be watered from 5-9 a.m. on any day using a hose-fed sprinkler system or irrigation system, but can be watered anytime on any day using drip irrigation or a soaker hose system, or by hand with a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle, or a water container.
There are not restrictions for plants grown for food.
For non-residential addresses, even numbers can water on Mondays and odd on Tuesdays – automatic watering from 4-6 a.m. and from 6-9 a.m. manual watering.
Non-residential gardens, shrubs, trees, and planters can be watered every day from 4-9 a.m. with a hose fed sprinkler system or irrigation system, and there are no restrictions using drip irrigation, soaker hose system, or hand watering.
READ ALSO: West Kootenay ski hills struggled without reliable snow fall
To wash a car or boat, the hose must be equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Power washing is still permitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle on the hose.
There are no restrictions for pools, hot tubs, or decorative water features, aside from tips to cover them when not in use to prevent evaporation and keep clean.
And, the City of Pitt Meadows reminded, there are no restrictions for people who use rainwater, grey water, or any forms of recycled water.
ALSO: Climate change emerging as biggest caribou threat
The City of Maple Ridge said city staff will start educating people and dropping off notices when they observe people not in compliance with the current watering restrictions, but fines between $250 to $1,000 can be given depending on what stage of watering restrictions Metro Vancouver is under. Bylaw notices, the city warned can be mailed to property owners and do not need to be personally served.
The City of Pitt Meadows wants people to report infractions of watering restrictions by filling out a form at: pittmeadows.ca/city-services/services-requests/report-problem; or by email at: bylaw@pittmeadows.ca; or by calling 604-465-2428 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
To file a complaint in Maple Ridge, contact the Bylaw, Licensing and Community Safety Department at 604-467-7305 or email at: bylaws@mapleridge.ca.
Both cities will be offering lawn sprinkling permits for newly seeded or newly laid turf lawns.
“Let’s do our part to conserve water this summer,” read a post by the City of Maple Ridge online.