A hand held sprinkler is shown spraying water on grass

Watering restrictions start May 1

April 20 2023 –

Starting on May 1, seasonal regulations go into effect limiting lawn watering to one day per week for Vancouver homes and businesses. These watering restrictions remain in place until October 15 and help conserve drinking water during our hotter, drier months. Watering outside these times could result in a $250 fine. 

Even with watering restrictions, regional water use almost doubles in the summer due to lawn and garden watering. Last year, watering restrictions were enhanced across Metro Vancouver due to more unpredictable weather patterns and snow melt from climate change, and to secure an ongoing supply of the region’s drinking water. Vancouver has strong outreach and enforcement programs in place to support reduced use of drinking water across the region which peaks during summer.

Permitted watering times

Lawns in Vancouver generally need only one inch of water for one hour each week, including rainfall, to stay healthy and green. Lawns can also go ‘golden’ if not watered as they enter a dormant state and return lush in the fall during rain. Residents can check their permitted watering through the Van311 app or online.  

Stage 1 Residential lawn watering allowed:

  • Even-numbered addresses: Saturdays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am.
  • Odd-numbered addresses: Sundays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am.
  • Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 5am and 9am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation.

Stage 1 Non-residential lawn watering allowed:

  • Even-numbered addresses: Mondays — automatic watering between 4am and 6am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am.
  • Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays — automatic watering between 4am and 6am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am.
  • Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 4am and 9am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation.

Background

Watering restrictions are enacted through Vancouver’s Drinking Water Conservation By-law 12086 (280 KB). These restrictions help ensure there is enough treated drinking water for essential tasks like cooking, cleaning, and drinking during the dry summer months. 

Our water system was built to work with annual patterns of rain and snow in our climate, but our climate is changing and our need for water is growing. With summer demand for drinking water increasing, and fewer rainy days, the region is becoming more susceptible to droughts and less available drinking water each year. 

Learn how you can reduce your water consumption