The City of Nanaimo and Regional District of Nanaimo are stepping up watering restrictions this month.
Beginning today, May 1, both the city and all nine of the regional district’s water service areas have entered into Stage 2 watering restrictions, which will see houses with even-numbered addresses sprinkling on even-numbered days and odd-numbered addresses doing the same on odd-number days. Sprinkling will be allowed for up to two hours between 7-10 a.m. or 7-10 p.m., according to an RDN press release.
Residents can continue drip and micro irrigation and hand watering at any time and the restrictions don’t apply to vegetable and food gardens. Washing vehicles and outdoor surfaces and filling hot tubs, pools and fountains is still allowed.
“The Stage 2 restrictions target automated sprinkler systems, to ensure they are operated efficiently and not wastefully as we move into our dry season,” said Bill Veenhof, RDN chairman. “Under normal conditions, we expect to stay in Stage 2 … for the duration of the summer.”
The North Cedar Improvement and Southwest Extension Waterworks districts also enter into Stage 2 on May 1.
The District of Lantzville moved to Stage 1 restrictions – sprinkling only between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. any day of the week – on May 1 and will enter Stage 2 on June 1.
The city and RDN entered into Stage 1 restrictions at the beginning of April.