The City of Nanaimo will help make water restrictions crystal clear for residents as it lines up rules with the rest of the region.
Nanaimo city council gave the first three readings of a bylaw Monday that will sync up water restriction guidelines with other water services providers across the region.
There was confusion during last year’s drought with differing definitions of water restrictions. In Nanaimo, for example, Level 4 means watering gardens only once a week outside of the hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. At Regional District of Nanaimo’s Level 4 restrictions included a hand-watering of trees, shrubs and vegetables or drip irrigation between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The aim is to create a common framework, although local government will still decide which water restriction level to move their communities to and when.
The bylaw is expected to be adopted at the next council meeting on March 21.