Coquitlam will be one of the last cities in Metro Vancouver to consider changes to its water conservation program.
Only three municipalities in the region - Coquitlam, Surrey and Langley Township - have yet to adopt Metro's Water Shortage Response Plan, which calls for reducing demand for outdoor water use in the summer.
Among the biggest changes in the plan, which Metro revised last June, is the elimination of night-time lawn sprinkling for residential properties. Still, the number of days per week for water sprinkling has gone up from two to three between June 1 and Sept. 30.
Under Metro's schedule, which Coquitlam is expected to adopt within the next few weeks, residential summer sprinkling will be limited to:
For even-numbered addresses: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, 4 to 9 a.m.
For odd-numbered addresses: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, 4 to 9 a.m.
And for commercial/industrial properties:
Even-numbered addresses: Monday and Wednesday, 1 to 6 a.m.
Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 6 a.m.
The restrictions will be tightened as water shortage increases during the typically hot months.
Albert van Roodselaar, Metro's division manager of utility planning and environmental management, told Coquitlam's council-in-committee on Monday he appreciates some municipalities didn't have time to implement the updated program when it was introduced last June; however, he expects all Metro cities to be on board this year.
According to a city report, Coquitlam gave 120 verbal warnings and issued 19 warning tickets last year, under the old program; no fines were levied. A total of 51 sprinkling permits were bought for new lawns, which brought in $1,275. As well, the city promoted low-flush toilets, rain barrels and water-wise kits.
This year, with revised Metro plan, the city also proposes to focus on outreach campaigns to teach residents about the sprinkling time changes, update its publications, place bi-weekly newspaper ads, hire three students and increase enforcement.
Coun. Brent Asmundson said Metro's new regulations are inconvenient while Coun. Craig Hodge suggested the city buy timed sprinklers in bulk so retail stores don't run out of supply.
Van Roodselaar said lawns need less than an hour of sprinkling a week.
The revised water plan aims to reduce peak day water demand by 3.5% and peak hour demands by 12%. Because of the city's hilly geography, peak day and hour water demands put stress on Coquitlam's distribution.
