Seasonal lawn sprinkling regulations take effect Monday through to Sept. 30 to help conserve Metro Vancouver’s drinking water supply.

"With this year’s record low snowpack and unseasonably warm start to the summer season, we encourage all residents and businesses to do the right thing and conserve water whenever possible," said Metro Vancouver Board Chair Greg Moore.

Watering lawns is permitted in the morning but prohibited during evening hours when demand is highest for domestic uses like dishwashing, laundry and showers. These restrictions apply to lawn sprinkling only and not to watering of flowers, vegetables, shrubs and trees. Metro Vancouver member municipalities enforce the lawn sprinkling regulations.

As a result of conservation programs like the lawn sprinkling regulations, there’s been a 27 per cent decline in per capita water use in the region since 1993. In 2011, Metro Vancouver revised its lawn sprinkling regulations to only allow morning sprinkling, resulting in peak day per capita water demand decreasing by 2 per cent per year.

One hour of lawn sprinkling uses as much water as 25 toilet flushes, five loads of laundry and five dishwasher loads. The demand for water doubles during the hottest days of summer, to as much as two billion litres of water a day.

"Over the last ten years, we have completed major upgrades at all three of Metro Vancouver’s water sources," said Metro Vancouver Utilities Committee Chair Darrell Mussatto. "Our mountain fresh tap water is treated to the highest standards and the lawn sprinkling regulations have had a profound positive impact on reducing water demands in the peak summer season."

Lawn Sprinkling Regulations For 2015:

Residential:

Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4 a.m. - 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4 a.m. - 9 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

Non-residential:

Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 1 a.m. - 6 a.m. Monday and Wednesday

Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 1 a.m. - 6 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday

All non-residential addresses can also sprinkle 4 a.m. - 9 a.m. Friday

More information about regional water services is available on Metro Vancouver’s website metrovancouver.org