Water use ideas fully compliant
Treating chinch bug infestation, consumption guidelines comply with policies, restrictions
Please allow me space in your column to comment on an item that was presented in your Cheers and Jeers section of the August 21 edition of The Guardian.
In that item, it was stated, in remarks attributed to me, that I advised residents to water their lawns in order to eliminate an infestation of chinch bugs. The article goes on to state that Charlottetown has been making every effort in recent years to reduce water consumption and signs have been scattered around the City advising people to conserve water and therefore my suggestion for people to water their lawns seemed to be ill-advised.
The truth is the City of Charlottetown’s seasonal water restrictions state that residents are permitted outdoor use of water (including lawn watering) daily before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. but in no case for more than two hours. Any watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. would be considered futile because of the evaporation factor.
Therefore, my suggestion to use water in this manner, at these times, was in full compliance with the City’s water restrictions. The signage that is referred to in the article asks residents and visitors to “Use Water Wisely.” Using water to combat an infestation of chinch bug instead of using toxic chemicals would be considered an appropriate use of water.
The City is able to offer this water restriction instead of a ban because of the positive results of water conservation efforts. Residents are to be commended for their efforts in the area of water conservation.
The water method of treating a chinch bug issue has been one that has been endorsed and promoted by entomologists, botanists and biologists for years. It is a substitute for toxic chemicals which harm all life.
By the way, the cost of water to metered customers of the Charlottetown Water and Sewer Department is 84 cents per one thousand liters — a far cry from the hundreds of dollars residents are paying for the application of toxic chemicals.