A REMINDER ABOUT GATINEAU'S BY-LAW ON THE USE OF DRINKING WATER

Gatineau, July 20, 2011. – With the heat wave upon us, Gatineau would like to remind residents to comply with the municipal by-law on the use of drinking water in effect until September 30.

Unsupervised mechanical watering is permitted in the early morning hours between 3 and 5 o'clock according to the following schedule:
• even street numbers: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
• odd street numbers: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Manually watering (using a hose with an automatic shut-off system) your garden, lawn, trees and shrubs, as well as washing your car and RV, a building or a structure, or filling your pool is permitted every day, except Mondays. This interruption is intended to give municipal plants the opportunity to refill their drinking water reservoirs.

It is at all times prohibited to:
• water a driveway, sidewalk, public or private road or property;
• water a car, RV, building or structure using a hose that does not have an automatic shut-off system;
• use a hose that is not connected to the property for which it is intended; or
• use more than one watering hose at a time other than to fill a pool.

In the case of a newly seeded lawn or newly laid sod, residents must obtain a watering permit. This permit is available for $15 at any service centre, and entitles the bearer to mechanically or manually water the lawn for up to two hours a day, as recommended by horticulturalists. This permit is valid for 14 days from its date of issuance.

It should be noted that violators are liable to receive a fine of $200 (plus costs) for a first infraction.

Gatineau thanks residents for their cooperation. For additional information about the by-law, visit www.gatineau.ca, call 3-1-1 or check the flyer available in any service centre.