Region's annual water conservation bylaw in effect

A late spring heat wave is prompting the Region of Waterloo to remind residents of the need to conserve water when possible as the annual water conservation bylaw takes effect.

On Friday, the region said during these heatwaves it is important for residents to adhere to using outdoor water only when needed and only on their designated watering day.

“This week’s early and prolonged heat wave is taking its toll on the region’s groundwater reserves. The region reminds all residents of the water conservation bylaw and to strictly adhere to the bylaw restrictions and reduce water use at this time,” the Region of Waterloo said in a news release.

The region’s water conservation bylaw, which is in effect from May 31 to Sept. 30, lays out the guidelines for watering lawns gardens, trees, shrubs and other outdoor plants, washing vehicles with a controlled hose or shut-off valve and topping up pools.

The bylaw’s goal is to preserve the water supply during fire emergencies or drought conditions and ensures residents have access to water.

City splash pads will remain open as cooling options during the heat wave.

A full list of cooling centres can be found by clicking here.

As of Saturday, large swaths of southern Ontario were placed in the extreme fire danger category, according to an interactive map from Natural Resources Canada (NRC).

“Fire Danger is a relative index of how easy it is to ignite vegetation, how difficult a fire may be to control, and how much damage a fire may do,” reads the NRC website.

According to NRC, extreme means a "fast-spreading, high-intensity crown fire. Very difficult to control. Suppression actions limited to flanks, with only indirect actions possible against the fire's head.”

According to Environment Canada, the temperatures are expected to dip in the coming days, with the forecast showing Wednesday may cool down to 18 C.

As for rain, the government agency’s forecast shows Monday, Tuesday and Thursday have a 30 per cent chance of showers. https://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/on-82_metric_e.html