5 Myths of Summer Lawn Watering

Summer is in full swing and it’s the most important time of year to be thinking about how we use, and how we can save, water in the Township. To help separate water myth from water fact, we’ve debunked some of the common myths about water use below.

Read on to see how well you know your water facts or if you’ve been fooled by some of the common myths about water use.

Myth	Fact
“Water is plentiful in BC, so no need to conserve.”	Climate change is impacting our water supply. Hotter temperatures and longer dry spells, like those we’ve seen this year, combined with reductions in snowpack, earlier spring melt, and regional population growth put pressure on Metro Vancouver’s water supply during the summer months, when water is in greatest demand.
“Not all water that comes to my home is for drinking.”	One hundred percent of the municipal water supply delivered to your home is drinking water. The water feeding your toilet and watering your lawn is the same water you drink, use to shower, and more. Don’t waste what we drink. Be Water Wise!
“If I don’t water my lawn frequently, it will die.”	Have more faith in your lawn! Deep, infrequent lawn watering will give your lawn a strong root system. During the summer months, water your lawn for one hour, one morning per week during a time restrictions allow. If it’s rained recently, you’re off the hook! Continue to mow often and high (about 5-6 cm), leaving clippings on the lawn, and don’t be afraid to let your lawn go golden. Water use can increase by 50% during the summer months, mostly due to lawn watering. Cutting back on how often you water your lawn is one of the best ways to help conserve water.
“Water use at home is only a drop in the bucket. What I do won’t make a difference.”	According to Metro Vancouver, residents use about 270 litres of water per person per day. When you factor in commercial uses (businesses, institutions, and public facilities, for example) the average use is about 450 litres per person per day. We are all responsible for conserving water to ensure we are not using the resources faster than it can be replenished.
“What’s the point of conserving water? We’ll never keep up with growth.”	Conserving water delays the need to invest in costly infrastructure upgrades and reduces the size and capacity we need to build. It’s in everyone’s best interest to use this resource wisely so that future generations aren’t paying for what we waste.

Were you able to debunk fiction from fact? Learn more about water restrictions and water use, and stay in-the-know all year long.

Engineering Division
604-532-7300
opsinfo@tol.ca