Water restrictions are in effect for residential and non-residential properties in Metro Vancouver, and each stage has different specifications for each type of lawn.
As of May 1, Stage 1 restrictions went into effect, meaning residents can only water their lawn one morning per week – Saturdays for even addresses and Sundays for odd addresses.
Non-residential even addresses can water Monday mornings, and odd addresses can water Tuesday mornings.
Residential properties are detached homes and townhouses, any residence with a front and/or back lawn. If restrictions move to Stage 2, however, lawn watering is prohibited.
READ MORE: Lawn watering restrictions to begin May 1 for Langley residents
It’s different for the Langley Lawn Bowling Club, said president Alan Gregson, comparing the club’s lawn watering restrictions to that of a golf course.
Lawn bowling is played on a large, level surface of grass or artificial turf called the “green,” surrounded by a shallow ditch dividing into separate rinks.
“During the season we cut three times a week… plus fertilizing, watering, and rolling to smooth the surface and pack it down a little bit so it’s firmer – the firmer it is, the faster the balls go,” Gregson explained
In Stage 1, the club faces no restrictions to water its bowling lawn. Under Stage 2, the lawn can be watered anytime on one day within a seven-day period.
“We are allowed to water until we get to Stage 3, which is great because… it’s a challenge, some areas are weaker,” Gregson said.
Members of the club do what they can, switching lanes they use on the lawn so the grass gets a break from use, but Gregson said this year he’s noticed the green is struggling already due to the lack of rain this spring.
“It’s not growing as fast for this time of year, I’m not mowing as often as I’d [usually] need to,” he commented.
A bowler’s performance can really depend on the lawn, hitting bumps in the grass, with the dryness or wetness of the grass impacts play style that day, Gregson explained.
So, the sport depends on a well kept lawn.
“The droughts are really hard on the lawns,” he added.
Last year, Metro Vancouver banned lawn watering all together mid-summer because the use of treated drinking water for outdoor use was too high, said Malcolm Brodie, Metro Vancouver water committee chair.
“This year, we’re hoping to avoid escalating restrictions for as long as possible, but it really depends on you,” Brodie said. “There are plenty of easy ways to conserve water, and the best is to cut back on — or cut out — lawn watering.”
To learn more about water restrictions in Metro Vancouver, visit metrovancouver.org.
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