Maintaining a beautiful lawn doesn't have to require a lot of water. Most people overwater their lawns during the hot summer months, and much of that water is lost to evaporation and runoff. Too much water weakens the lawn's root system, making it more vulnerable to drought, disease and pests. Applying a maximum of 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water per week ensures deep root growth that helps your lawn stay healthy even during hot, dry spells.

Did You Know? A single lawn sprinkler spraying 19 litres per minute uses more water in half an hour than 10 toilet flushes, two 5-minute showers, two dishwasher loads, and a full load of laundry put together!

In dry summer conditions, your lawn goes dormant. It is not dead, only growing slower, which is natural. When frequent rains return, your lawn will become green again. Avoid artificially stopping your lawn from going dormant by watering - if a lawn is watered back to green, and then allowed to go dormant again in the same season, it causes serious stress.

Click here to read more about the Region of Waterloo's lawn watering bylaws.

Tips:

• Water only when necessary, and according to municipal bylaws. It’s time to water when grass turns a dull gray-green, and footprints remain when you walk across the lawn. If most of the lawn looks green and only spots or areas near concrete are gray, root-water or hand-water only the dry spots.
• Avoid frequent watering. One inch per week is plenty - use an empty tuna can on the lawn during watering to gauge when your grass has had enough.
• Water early in the morning, or late at night to avoid waste due to evaporation.