City votes to amend summer water-usage bylaw

City council voted unanimously to amend the watering bylaw that affects the city between June and September.

The bylaw helps the city conserve water in dryer months by limiting lawn watering and other outdoor water use to even and odd days, depending on the house number. Even-numbered houses can use water outdoors on even days, while uneven-numbered houses can use water outdoors on uneven days.

The motion to amend the bylaw was proposed by Ward 5 Coun. Ron Dupuis. The amendment would allow property owners up to 14 days of consecutive watering of new sod, from the day it was installed. He said he did not want property owners to lose their investment, and sod companies said 14 days would give the new grass time to set down roots.