Residents of Collingwood are not supposed to water their laws everyday.
The Town of Collingwood does have a bylaw that lays out water restrictions year-round, which is meant to conserve the town's treated water. All hose and lawn watering services connected to a town water line put out water that has been treated to meet the provincial standards for drinking water.
As such, the town's bylaw limits outdoor water usage, which is more often applicable in warm summer months, to ensure the local peak water demands can be met with the existing capacity from the town's water treatment plant. Work is underway for a new, expanded plant that is slated to be complete by 2026.
"Reducing outdoor water usage ensures water is available for essential services and emergencies, such as firefighting," states a news release from the town.
The following restrictions remain in place:
- Properties with odd-numbered addresses can water on odd-numbered calendar days between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- Properties with even-numbered addresses can water on even-numbered calendar days between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
These restrictions apply to all irrigation systems as well. Automated systems should be set to reflect the correct watering day for your residence.
The town recommends watering within those time frames because the town's water storage reservoirs are replenished overnight, and because watering during the cooler times of the day reduces the amount of water evaporation. Sticking to the assigned even- or odd-numbered days is required.
The town defines outdoor water use as any activity requiring a hose, which includes lawn watering, filling pools, using a power washer, using a sprinkler, etc. Gardens can be watered using a watering can anytime.
There are also exceptions for newly laid sod, which is exempt from watering restrictions for 28 days because it's considered a property management matter.
While the town takes an "education and warnings" approach to its water use bylaw, enforcement officers can issue fines.
The town offers the following tips for keeping a healthy lawn while also conserving water.
- A brown lawn doesn’t always indicate a dead lawn. Brown lawns can recover their green colour after rainfall or cooler weather.
- Avoid frequent watering. Watering too often can cause your turf to develop shallow roots
- Promote a healthy lawn by aerating and mowing no shorter than 7.5cm
- If most of the lawn looks green, only water the dry spots
- When reseeding or planting, consider drought-resistant grasses, which are often more resistant to insects and disease
- Use a rain barrel
- Program irrigation systems to water deeply but infrequently and within water-use restriction guidelines
- Leave grass clippings on your lawn after mowing
- Check for leaks in your garden hose
The town does include all water in and out of each property in the residential sanitary sewer charges included as part of the EPCOR bill. For more information or if you have any questions, contact environmental services at 705-445-1581, ext. 3302.