Councillors give thumbs down to further watering restrictions

Councillors give thumbs down to further watering restrictions
City councillors are set to approve a new bylaw that will limit the days you can use a lawn sprinkler on your property.

CORNWALL, Ontario – City council has poured cold water on a plan to ask residents to restrict lawn watering.

Most councillors were vehemently opposed to a recommendation from administrators that would have seen watering restricted to alternate days according to even and odd civic addresses.

Councillors poked holes in the plan, including Coun. Justin Towndale who suggested a person could wash their car all day, yet not water their lawn, according to the rules being considered.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” he said.

Last year the city adopted one-time rules to limit lawn watering when it was in the midst of enhancements at the city’s water tower. At the time the tower needed to be drained and the municipal network would have been stressed to keep up with demand otherwise.

Administrators said Monday night many residents requested that the plan be put in place on a more permanent basis. The city was mulling a plan to see the restrictions in place for the next two summers as a pilot project.

Councillors also had concerns about enforcement, given the short-staffed city bylaw department.

Not everyone was against the rules, though.

“This starts us on the process of conserving our water. It doesn’t interfere with anyone’s lawn watering,” said Coun. Elaine MacDonald.

It was estimated the restrictions would save as much as 10,000 cubic metres of water per day.

Share this article