The Regional Municipality of York Water for Tomorrow program is reminding residents to monitor their hot weather water use.

During the summer months, water consumption can more than double as interest in lawns and gardens peaks. Not only is this a drain on water reserves, it also increases the energy required to treat and pump water from the source to homes. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of rain by keeping their outdoor taps shut tight and utilizing rain barrels.

Now through September, annual outdoor water use bylaws are in effect in all of York Region’s municipalities. These bylaws stipulate that odd house numbers may use water outdoors only on odd numbered days and even house numbers may use water outdoors only on even numbered days. Watering cans may be used at anytime as is the use of water captured in a rain barrel.

Following the local bylaw and only watering when needed will help prevent watering restrictions should excessive outdoor water use deplete water supplies to the point where emergency services are affected.

Keep your lawn and garden green with the following tips:

• Use a rain gauge to measure rainfall and watering
• Brown lawns can spring back to life with a minimum amount of water
• Lawns need to be watered a maximum of just one inch per week, including rain fall
• Grow drought-tolerant plants
• Water wisely – water lawns and gardens when evaporation is least likely to occur, such as before 9 a.m. and after 10 p.m.
• Use the right kind of sprinkler; sprinklers shooting low to the ground are superior to oscillating sprinklers that lose much of their water to evaporation and wind drift before it ever hits the lawn
• Turn off automatic sprinkler systems and follow the one inch per week rule

For water-saving tips both in and around the home, plus information on local watering bylaws, please visit the Water for Tomorrow website at www.waterfortomorrow.ca

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York, please visit www.york.ca