Summer is just a week away and temperatures are starting to warm up which means Airdronians will start pouring water on lawns and gardens in an effort to keep them lush and growing.    

To help you out when planning when to water, the City of Airdrie has a Waterworks Bylaw that includes a watering schedule that is based on your address.

"The basics are that even number houses can water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and odd number houses can water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday," said Jennifer Sugden, Water Operations Program Coordinator with the city.  "The times that we've specified are between 6:00 am  and 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm for hose connections, and 1:00 am to 4:00 am for automated irrigation systems."

The water department didn't randomly choose those times as Sugden said the reason they were selected was to keep you from watering during the heat of the day when you're pretty much wasting your time and your water.

"We don't want people watering during the hottest times of the day because basically, it's just going to evaporate and not get down into the root where all the plants need it."

And, before you accuse the city of being the fun police you should know that the Waterworks Bylaw allows your kids to run through your sprinklers at any time of the day.  You can also fill fountains and other decorative features at any time unless the city declares a level two or three water shortage.  

Sugden also suggests that you don't over-water your lawn.  The average lawn will do just fine when it gets one inch of water per week and watering deeper and less often will promote deeper roots in the grass and a healthier lawn.  

Of course, the water department is intent on trying to find ways to conserve water at all times of the year.  Sugden said the per capita water consumption in 2020 was 238 litres per day, which compares to 242 litres per day, per capita in 2019.

While keeping a green lawn is looked upon as a necessity by most homeowners, Sugden said there are other ways to try to keep your water consumption down.

"We have rain barrels for sale year-round on the city website and that way people can harvest their own rainwater.  You can also plant drought-tolerant plants in your garden."

Inside your home, she suggests using low flow fixtures and changing many of your water use habits, such as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth.

You can learn more at airdrie.ca/waterconservation.  

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