High water use during heat wave leads to increased water restrictions

Effective at 00:01am on Wednesday, June 30th, the City of Merritt has increased watering restrictions, prohibiting use of sprinkler systems more than two days a week.

Residents with even numbered households will be allowed to water on Monday and Friday, residents with odd numbered houses will be allowed on Tuesday and Saturday.

Within this, automatic irrigation systems are allowed and encouraged between midnight and 4am. Manual sprinklers are permitted between 6am and 8am, and between 7pm and 10pm. Hand-watering with a controlled flow nozzle can be done at any time.

Director of Corporate Services Greg Lowis said:

We’ve never seen temperatures this high at this time of year. To go along with the record temperatures, we are also seeing extremely high levels of water use, as residents work to keep things green amidst this unprecedented heat wave. We ask that residents stick to the permitted watering hours and we encourage residents to focus on flowers, trees and vegetables, and to consider letting lawns go dormant.

The City will also be increasing Bylaw patrols to support reduced watering and provide information regarding watering. Residents who are using sprinklers outside the permitted hours and refuse to turn them off when requested will be ticketed.

Watering will be reduced in City parks, though the Rotary Spray Park and the water fountains remain open to help Merritonians beat the heat.