Put down the wand and step away from the power washer.
Stage 2 water restrictions are now in effect across Metro Vancouver, and they include an outright ban on the use of pressure washers and other hosing off of outdoor surfaces.
The only exceptions to the new rules include instances where people’s health and safety are at risk, or if you’re preparing a driveway for painting or sealing.
In our opinion, these rules are long overdue and should be included in stage 1 restrictions.
It’s never been too clear to us why people feel the need to waste water washing their driveways as a matter of habit, anyway.
Is it vanity? Trust us, nobody’s envious of your super clean asphalt.
Perhaps the surface doubles as a basketball court and scattered rocks create a safety hazard. In that case, a good old-fashioned push broom will provide the perfect pre-game warm up.
Level 2 restrictions also mean that lawn watering is now limited to once a week in Metro Vancouver, unlike Mission (see below) where the district, along with the City of Abbotsford, is calling for a complete ban.
But we’re looking forward to seeing many more golden lawns in the Langleys over the next couple months.
As long as the rain holds off, that will be the clearest sign that residents are taking the water restrictions to heart and understand that just because you’re still allowed to water your grass, it’s not actually required.
We’ve come to a point where boasting a verdant lawn throughout the dry summer months isn’t a point of pride, it’s more like a scarlet letter — only, you know, green.
Among other restrictions now in place, decorative fountains must be turned off and only child-activated spray parks are running. Hand watering plants is still OK.
Looking at a long-term forecast that calls for nothing but more sun and hot temperatures, it’s a fair guess that things are going to get far worse before they get better.
And while, as far as we know, nobody will be along to time our showers or to ensure that we turn off the tap between rinses when we’re brushing our teeth, it’s up to all of us to use a little common sense and acknowledge that, when it comes to our dwindling water supply, we all have a part to play in saving for a rainy day.
