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Tools and Tips to Save Water
Sustainability Starts at Home: Earth Week Sale – April 13 to 30
The City is offering Coquitlam residents great savings on gardening tool bundles to make your home and garden more sustainable (while supplies last). Rain barrel and water-timer bundle: $100 plus tax (regularly $130 when purchased separately outside of Earth Week Sale).
To purchase the rain barrel and water-timer bundle, email Water Conservation. Pick-up is by appointment at the Engineering Customer Service Counter at City Hall, 3000 Guildford Way, or at the Animal Shelter, 500 Mariner Way.
Purchase Water Wise Tools
We can all do our part to conserve our precious water supply. Coquitlam offers low-cost sales of water wise tools (sold at-cost) and simple tips to help reduce water use at home. Proof of Coquitlam residency is required.
Where to Purchase
You can email Water Conservation or call 604-927-3636 for payment and pickup arrangements.
A rain barrel collects and stores rainwater from the roof to reuse on gardens, lawns and hanging baskets. Help conserve water – our rain barrels are available in two colours, black (JPG) and beige (JPG).
Cost - $75 plus tax
Features
- 208 Litres (55 gallon) capacity - 34 inches height by 24 inches width
- Easily accommodates existing downspouts
- Made of 50% recycled materials
- Overflow capability, can be linked to another rain barrel
- Square shape and neutral colour blends into any gardenscape
- Stainless steel screen keeps out bugs and leaf debris
How to Install - Feel free to view this video from the rain barrel manufacturer that demonstrates how to correctly setup and install your new rain barrel.
Plumbing Permit
In March 2024, the National Plumbing Code of Canada was amended to include requirements for the use of grey water and rainwater in buildings and for irrigation.
Certain uses of water from rain barrels are now required to follow this code and will require a Plumbing Permit. A Plumbing Permit is NOT required if your rain barrel collects only rain water from your roof, and if the water is only used for gravity-fed drip irrigation systems or to fill watering cans.
For any other uses of rain barrels or questions regarding safe irrigation systems please email the City’s Building Permits Division or call 604-927-3441.
This electronic water timer connects between the tap and a hose-fed sprinkler system and can be set to automatically water lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs.
Cost - $55 plus tax
Features
- On/off button to use like a faucet
- Programmable to a 7-day watering calendar
- Uses one 9-volt alkaline battery (not included)
- Works with low pressure drip and soaker hoses
Watering Tips at Home
Below you will find tips on watering around your home.
Did you know? Private property water leaks can waste over 7 times the amount of water used by a typical household. Water leaks are estimated to cost more than $3M per year to Coquitlam taxpayers.
Water leaks are a major source of wasted water. Regularly follow these tips to identify water leaks and save water and money, and to protect your property.
- Check all toilets, faucets and outside hose-bibs for continuous running water.
- In dry weather, check property for puddles or heaves in the asphalt or lawn.
- Do annual maintenance, inspection and repairs of automatic irrigation systems.
- Do regular servicing and maintenance of refrigeration and air conditioning units.
- Turn off all water fixtures and listen for running water to hear if you have a leak.
If you do not find a leak after inspection, but still believe you may have one, email Engineering and Public Works Customer Service or call 604-927-3500 (24/7) .
- Aerate your lawn in spring and/or fall to give the soil access to air and nutrients. Leave the soil plugs to dry and break them up to return them to the ground.
- Plant your lawn in at least a month prior to the start of the region-wide water use restrictions on May 1 and let the rain handle the watering for you.
- Add drought-tolerant, low maintenance ground cover plants to your lawn such as microclover and thyme. Visit Metro Vancouver’s Grow Green Guide for ideas and some inspiration!
- Let your lawn turn gold in the summer. Grasses naturally go dormant during the hot, dry summer and will turn green again in the fall when heavy dews and rain return.
- In the summer, mow your lawn to keep it about 6 centimeters high and leave grass clippings on your lawn to keep it as cool and moist as possible.
- Reduce your lawn watering to about one hour of deep watering per week. Turn the sprinkler off when you see water constantly running off of your lawn.
Beautify your garden while saving water.
- By choosing drought-tolerant plants, you can help conserve drinking water and maintain sustainable gardens during hotter, drier summers. Our Water Wise Plant Guide (PDF) has more information on species.
- Visit Metro Vancouver's Grow Green Guide or ask a local garden centre to learn more about planting native and drought-tolerant species.
- Cover your garden bed with mulch to suppress weeds, minimize water loss in summer, and insulate plants in winter.
- Grow drought-tolerant plants in one group and water-loving plants in a separate group to make watering more efficient.
- Install a drip irrigation system which sends water directly to the plant roots and maximizes watering efficiency.
- Remove weeds regularly as they can compete with your garden for nutrients and water.
- Install tree watering bags around young trees in the summer. It keeps the trees sufficiently watered and requires minimal effort.
Other ways to save water at home.
- If it doesn’t grow, it doesn’t need watering! Direct your sprinkler away from sidewalks and roads.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways, decks, patios and sidewalks.
- Wash your car using a bucket of water and make sure the hose is fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
- Switch out your 13-litre water wasting toilet with an efficient model and receive a Toilet Replacement Tax Credit Rebate.
- Shorten your shower by two minutes every day to save over 400 litres of water each month. That’s over 100 milk jugs of water.
- Run your dishwasher only when it is full. A half-full dishwasher uses the same amount of water as a full one.
- Leave a pitcher of water in the fridge instead of running the tap for cold water.
Water Conservation Gardening Workshops
The City offers a variety of water-wise gardening workshops in Town Centre Park.
You can view the programs and register online via our Registration System (for the best online registration experience, please use Google Chrome). In the Outdoors section, select Inspiration Garden then click the Workshops dropdown to view programs, or enter the course ID number.