How to Use Less Water

What You Need to Know About the By-law

The City of Markham limits outdoor water use in the summer. These limits happen between June 1 and September 30 every year. They apply to all residential owners, tenants, and lessees.

Here are the rules:

• The City of Markham limits when you can use municipally-supplied drinking water to water your lawns, gardens, trees, and shrubs.
  
• Outdoor watering on residential properties is allowed between 6 to 9 AM or 6 to 9 PM, but not both.
  • Properties with an even-numbered street address can water their lawns on even-numbered days during this time
  • Properties with an odd-numbered street address can water their lawns on odd-numbered days during this time
    
  • Those in violation of Markham’s Summer Water Restrictions (Water Use By-law 2019-53) may be fined up to $5,000 upon conviction.

Why Are Summer Water Restrictions Needed?

During summer months, water use more than doubles. The City needs to make sure that it has enough water to meet demand. By reducing how much water we use during peak hours (10 AM to 5 PM) we can help our infrastructure last longer. It reduces construction, operation, and maintenance costs. It also helps us lower the cost of providing reliable and safe water to our community.

Summer Water Restrictions Help:

Reduce Infrastructure Demands

If we reduce the amount of water we use during peak hours (10 AM to 5 PM), we prolong the lifespan of our current infrastructure and helps manage operational costs.

Maintain a Reliable Water Supply

A reliable water supply helps ensure drinking water reserves, adequate water pressure, and fire protection. By reducing our use of treated water during peak hours, water will be there when we need it.

Support Environmental Sustainability

The water used outdoors from sprinklers, hoses, and driveway car washing runs off into storm sewers on your street. It can pick up all sorts of pollutants along the way. Contaminated water that goes into our storm sewers flows directly into Lake Ontario without being treated. Reducing outdoor water use can reduce the pollutants that end up in our drinking water source. Plants, wildlife, and aquatic animals need a clean lake, too!

Non-Compliance Notices

The City actively looks for people who aren’t following the water restrictions. We hand out notices to residents that don't follow Water Use By-law 2019-53.

Exemptions

There are some exemptions to Water Use By-law 2019-53

1. Properties with newly laid sod can use water for a period of 2 months after the sod is first laid.
   
2. Properties not connected to the municipal water supply don’t have to follow these water restrictions. However, we do encourage all property owners to be good environmental stewards and follow the water use restrictions.

For more information, please read Markham Water Use By-law 2019-53.

You can water your lawn automatically! Choose a system and timer that lets you:

• Water parts of your property independently
  
• Program which days you water
  
• Increase or decrease the length of watering time
  
• Purchase a soil moisture sensor to monitor moisture levels to ensure optimal plant growth
  
• Purchase a rain sensor to automatically stop watering during rain periods

Irrigation System Tips:

1. Change your settings on the irrigation controller to suit seasonal weather conditions. Over-watering is most common during the spring and fall.
2. Water your property according to sun or shade exposure and soil type.
3. Inspect your irrigation system for leaks, broken or clogged heads, and other problems.
4. Ensure sprinkler heads are distributing water evenly.
5. Never water driveways or other hard surfaces or structures.
6. Do not cut your grass too short – shorter grass requires more water.
7. Look for indicators that your lawn needs watering. These include grass turning a bluish-gray colour, dry soil and footprints remaining in the grass.
8. When you water your property:
   • Water early morning to reduce evaporation and avoid fungus growth and mould.
   • Let the water soak in. If water puddles due to dry or compacted soil, stop watering and allow time for it to seep into the ground.
   • Less is more. Watering too much and too often can cause plants to have shallow roots. This leads to weed growth, it attracts pests, and makes plants susceptible to disease or fungus.

Create a vibrant landscape!

The amount of water you use can depend on the plants you have. Native plants are the best choice for landscaping. They grow in our region naturally and are adapted to the climate. You can save water by limiting the lawn area you keep green and weed free. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover absorb much more rainfall and don’t need as much maintenance as grass.

Put mulch around plantings to reduce evaporation. Another great tip is to groups plants with similar water needs around each other.

We don't encourage you to use pesticides, chemical treatments, or fertilizers. When landscapes are watered, or it rains, these chemicals can enter our storm sewers. This can pollute our fresh drinking water source.

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens are a great way to manage storm water runoff. They can protect the water that flows into local streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes. A rain garden uses a depression in the landscape to collect water runoff. It uses loose, deep soil and native plant species that are drought and water tolerant. They let 30% more water penetrate into the ground than a normal lawn. You can visit a demonstration rain garden at the Markham Museum, or see other demonstration rain gardens in the region.

Maintaining a Healthy Lawn

(Courtesy of York Region)

Here are tips for keeping a healthy lawn:

• Aerate every other fall to limit soil compaction. This will increase water absorption and help to reduce thatch.
• Top dress every spring or fall with compost. Rake into the lawn half an inch deep.
• Over-seed every spring or fall with a grass seed high in fescue content (at least 60%) and low in Kentucky Blue content (20% at most).
  • Fescue grasses have fine glades that are drought and disease resistant due to their deep rooting system.
  • Kentucky Blue grass, which is the only grass found in sod, has the shallowest root system. It’s the weakest, most water dependent and most susceptible to disease.
• Your mowing height should be six centimetres to eight centimetres. This will shade roots and prevent weeds.
• Fertilize every fall with compost. This will give your lawn the nutrients it needs to make it through the winter.

For more tips watch the "Be Water Smart" - Lawn Maintenance Tips video.

Disconnect Your Downspout and Collect the Rain

A rain barrel is a great way to lower your water bill and protect the sewer system. Rain barrels work by collecting rainwater from your downspout and rooftop and redirecting it to your lawn and garden instead!

Rain Barrel Tips

Purchasing:

• Rain barrels are available for purchase at your local hardware store such as Home Depot, RONA and Home Hardware.
• It’s best to choose a barrel that holds at least 200 liters.
• You barrel should have a mesh screen that covers the water entry to keep out mosquitoes and other pests.

Installation:

• Install your rain barrel on a strong, level surface. It can weigh up to 1,200 pounds when full! A patio or paving stone is best.
• Use an overflow hose to direct water into the garden or a grassed area where it will soak into the ground.
• Raise your barrel to create increased water pressure.
• Link multiple barrels together to hold more water.

Storage and Maintenance:

• Empty your rain barrel and bring it inside (or turn it over) before it freezes in the fall. Water left in the barrel over winter can crack the plastic walls.  

Additional Resources

Check out this information sheet for more Rain Barrel tips!

Downspout Disconnection:

Check out these tips on how to disconnect a downspout

Home & Garden:

Create a naturally beautiful lawn and garden, here’s how:

• Get inspired using TRCA’s Home and Garden Resource Page
• Choose the right plants for your space using York Region’s Water-Efficient Plant Selection Guide

Splash and Save with These Easy Tips!

• Pay attention when filling your pool, spa, or hot tub to prevent over-flows or over-filling.
• Use covers to reduce water evaporation. Make sure your covers fit properly! You may also see lower energy bills since covers retain heat.
• Repair any leaks. They won’t fix themselves!
• Warmer water evaporates more quickly. Turn down the temperature!
• Try not to use fountains and waterfalls. These speed evaporation.
• Clean filters manually. The average backwash can use between 950 and 3,780 litres of water!
• Most people backwash more frequently than necessary. Some pool filters do not have to be backwashed at all. Take them apart and clean them out instead.
• Try to avoid water loss though excessive splashing.
• Maintain proper chemical levels and adequate circulation time. This will avoid the need to use a lot of make-up water or drainage.

Closing Your Pool

Proper Drainage:

Protect the environment and our community. Never drain chlorinated or salt water from your pool or hot tub into a storm drain. For proper drainage, follow these tips: 

• Don't add chemicals to the water for at least 2 weeks prior to draining
• Remove existing chemicals from the water (e.g. if your pool uses chlorine, make sure to de-chlorinate)
• Drain clean water on your lawn

Safe Chemical Disposal:

Leftover or expired pool and hot tub chemicals must be dropped off at a Household Hazardous Waste Depot.

Save Water, Save Money!

Here are some helpful summer tips:

• Cleaning your driveway with a garden hose wastes water. When cleaning your driveway or sidewalk, sweep away dirt with a broom. Rain will do the rest!
• Take your car to a commercial car wash! They may use up to 50% less water than washing your vehicle in your driveway. They also prevent chemicals and pollutants from going into our storm sewers.
• If you must wash your car at home, use a bucket and sponge. This can save about 300 litres of water per wash. That's enough water to do two full loads of laundry!