It's That Time of Year Again: What Riverview Residents Need to Know About Summer Water Rules

With warmer weather settling in, the Town of Riverview is reminding residents that its annual Water Conservation By-Law is back in effect.

Running from May 1 to September 30, the by-law isn't just a suggestion. It's a mandatory set of rules designed to keep water pressure steady, protect the Town's infrastructure, and make sure there's enough water to go around.
Why does it matter?

On a typical day, Riverview uses roughly 8 million litres of water (that's enough water to fill about 3 Olympic-sized swimming pools). Come summer, that number can balloon past 10 million litres — most of it going toward outdoor use like lawn watering and car washing.

"When everyone waters their lawns at the same time on a hot afternoon, it puts enormous pressure on the distribution network, like our pumps and reservoir," said Luc Gould, Water and Sewer Manager for the Town of Riverview. "These rules help us keep water pressure consistent for all residents."

The alternating schedule: know your address
The cornerstone of the by-law is a simple alternating schedule based on your civic address:

• Odd-numbered address? You can use your outdoor hose on odd-numbered calendar days.
• Even-numbered address? You can use your outdoor hose on even-numbered calendar days.

Hose use is also capped at one hour at a time, with a maximum of two hours in any 24-hour period.

When can you water?
Even on your permitted days, timing matters. Lawn and garden watering is only allowed before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Watering while it's actively raining is not permitted, and residents must ensure water doesn't run off their property onto streets or sidewalks.

A few exemptions
The rules don't apply to businesses that rely on water to operate (like nurseries or garden centres), pools and hot tubs, all-weather playing fields, or newly installed lawns less than 30 days old. Residents are also welcome to use collected rainwater such as buckets, barrels, or cans to water lawns and gardens at any time.

Small changes inside make a difference too

The Town encourages residents to think beyond the backyard. Running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, taking shorter showers, and checking for leaky faucets (which can waste up to 300 litres per week) all add up.

For your lawn specifically: most grass only needs about 2.5 cm of water per week. Mowing high and keeping your blades sharp also helps the grass retain moisture longer.

What if you don't follow the rules?
The Town's first approach is always education and warning notices. That said, by-law enforcement officers can issue set fines or summonses for non-compliance. If you have concerns about improper water usage please use the Town's Report a Concern form to alert the by-law department directly. 

For the full by-law details, visit townofriverview.ca/town-hall/by-laws under the Public Works tab, or review the Water Conservation Pamphlet.