RIVERVIEW, N.B. -- Residents in Riverview, N.B., are being urged to limit their water consumption.
"I think it's a great idea because it's been so dry for so long," said Riverview resident Jack Allen.
The town reported water consumption is reaching non-sustainable levels -- mainly due to the lack of rainfall, above-average temperatures, and many people staying indoors because of COVID-19.
"There seems to be increased consumption, beyond what we normally get, since everybody's been staying at home," said Riverview resident Dan McLaughlin.
The town also wants to ensure the fire department has enough water to respond to calls.
"It could become a challenge because then we can't rely on our fire hydrants, we would have to rely on tanker trucks," said Chief Denis Pleau of the Riverview Fire Department. "We have quite a few mutual aid partners that can bring us a fair bit of water."
The town is banning non-essential water usage beyond general consumption for activities including: watering lawns and gardens, washing down outside areas and cars, sprinklers, or leaving faucets running.
"We're not gonna wash the cars," said McLaughlin. "We never water our lawn."
Consumption has nearly doubled to 12,000 cubic metres per day.
"We're conscious of the fact that we do not use more water, and even perhaps a little less of a shower in the morning," Allen said.
A spokesperson for the city of Moncton says consumption is not currently an issue in Moncton or Dieppe.
Riverview residents who don't conserve water could be fined.
While some residents in parts of the Halifax Regional Municipality were asked to conserve water last summer, a spokesperson for Halifax Water says they don’t currently have concerns about the water sources that supply their water treatment facilities.
