Chilliwack watering restrictions

Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?

Chilliwack, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Yes. The City of Chilliwack automatically enters Stage 1 watering restrictions each year from May 1 to October 15. In Stage 1, even addresses may sprinkle lawns Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses Thursday and Sunday, between 5 and 8 a.m. or 7 and 10 p.m.

Key facts

When restrictions apply	Stage 1 applies automatically every year from May 1 to October 15. Stages 2, 3 and 4 apply only if activated at the discretion of the Director of Engineering, based on the aquifer water level, and can change at any time. The current stage is not stated in the text (checked November 5, 2026, outside the season).Summer Watering Restrictions, City page; Water Conservation Stage Triggers, Stage triggers; Stage 2 plan · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording Outdoor watering restrictions are in effect May 1 to October 15 each year. Annually from May 1 - October 15, the City automatically enters Stage 1. In effect if activated: at the discretion of the Director of Engineering
Sprinkling schedule	Stage 1: even street addresses Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses Thursday and Sunday, only 5 to 8 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Apartments, townhouses and stratas follow the complex address. Stage 2: even addresses Wednesday only, odd addresses Thursday only, 5 to 8 a.m. only. Stages 3 and 4: lawn sprinkling with treated drinking water prohibited.Summer Watering Restrictions, City page; Stage 2 plan; Stage 3 Lawn Sprinkling plan; Stage 4 Lawn Sprinkling plan · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording Even addresses - Wednesday & Saturday Odd addresses - Thursday & Sunday Watering can only occur between 5 - 8 am or 7 - 10 pm on these days. Apartments, townhouses, and stratas follow complex addresses, not individual unit numbers. Even street addresses – Wednesday Odd street addresses – Thursday 5 - 8am only All forms of lawn watering using treated drinking water are prohibited. All forms of lawn watering using treated drinking water are prohibited.
Allowed at any time	Stage 1: gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees may be watered any time of day with a hand-held container, a hose with a spring-loaded shutoff nozzle, a soaker hose or drip irrigation; pools, spas, garden ponds, fountains and golf courses are unrestricted. Stage 2: gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees by hand-held container, hose with a shut off device or soaker hose; pools, spas and garden ponds unrestricted; non-recirculating fountains prohibited. Stage 3: same garden watering as Stage 2, but filling or topping up pools, spas and garden ponds and all fountain use are prohibited. Stage 4: garden watering is prohibited (at the discretion of the City). The plans do not name food gardens separately.Summer Watering Restrictions, City page FAQ; Stage 1 Lawn Sprinkling plan, Stage 1 plan; Stage 2 plan; Stage 3 Lawn Sprinkling plan, Stage 3 plan; Stage 4 plan water-7462 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording Stage 1 restrictions allow watering any time of the day using handheld containers, a hose with a spring-loaded shutoff nozzle, a soaker hose or drip irrigation. Any time of day, watering using a hand-held Watering using a hand-held container, Watering using a hand-held container, All filling or topping up of pools, spas, or garden
New lawns	New unestablished lawns (new sod or seed) need a Water Restriction Exemption Certificate (fee $50). In Stage 1 it allows watering any day between 5 to 8 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. (three-week permit); in Stage 2, 5 to 8 a.m. only (two-week permit). No new permits in Stages 3 and 4. Apply by email to engineeringinfo@chilliwack.com with the sod or seed receipt, a photo, name, address and phone.Summer Watering Restrictions, City page; Stage 1 Lawn Sprinkling plan, Stage 1 plan; Stage 2 plan; Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995, Schedule B item 6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording New unestablished lawns require a Water Restriction Exemption Certificate. During Stage 2 water restrictions, watering new lawns is allowed only between 5 - 8 am. Receipt (for new sod or seed) Three-week permit required for daily watering Two-week permit required for daily watering WATER RESTRICTION EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE FEE: $ 50.00
Fine	$100 (early payment $90, late payment $110), for 'Disobey Water Use Restriction', under Schedule A of the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2018, No. 4573. Watering outside a certificate's times may also lead to its revocation.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule A, Schedule A, Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2995; Summer Watering Restrictions, City page FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording Disobey Water Use Restriction 57(2) 100.00 90.00 110.00 Watering outside of these times may result in the revocation of the certificate and a fine.
Bylaw	Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995 (s. 61(2)); the stages are set out in the City's Water Conservation Plan stage documentsWaterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995, s. 61(2); Water Conservation Stage Triggers, Stage triggers · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-05 Official wording no person may use water to irrigate a lawn or garden, or to wash a vehicle or There are 4 stages to the City of Chilliwack's water conservation plan.

How it works

Chilliwack's water conservation plan has four stages, set under the Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995 (s. 61(2)). Stage 1 starts automatically every year on May 1 and runs to October 15. Stages 2, 3 and 4 apply only if the Director of Engineering activates them, based on the water level in the Sardis-Vedder Aquifer, and stages can change at any time and in any order. Check the current stage at chilliwack.com/waterrestrictions. The restrictions apply only to users of City water, not private wells.

Good to know

Stage 1 lawn sprinkling: even addresses Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses Thursday and Sunday, only 5 to 8 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Apartments, townhouses and stratas follow the complex address, not the unit number.
Stage 2: even addresses Wednesday only, odd addresses Thursday only, 5 to 8 a.m. only.
Stages 3 and 4: sprinkling lawns with treated drinking water is prohibited.
Gardens, flowers, shrubs and trees: in Stage 1, water any time with a hand-held container, a hose with a spring-loaded shutoff nozzle, a soaker hose or drip irrigation. Stage 2 and 3 allow a hand-held container, a hose with a shut-off device or a soaker hose. Stage 4 prohibits garden watering at the City's discretion. The plans do not name food gardens separately.
Pools, spas and garden ponds: unrestricted in Stages 1 and 2; filling or topping up is prohibited in Stage 3. Fountains are unrestricted in Stage 1, non-recirculating fountains are prohibited in Stage 2, and all fountains are prohibited in Stage 3.
A new, unestablished lawn (new sod or seed) needs a Water Restriction Exemption Certificate ($50). It allows watering between 5 and 8 a.m. or 7 and 10 p.m. any day for three weeks in Stage 1, or 5 to 8 a.m. for two weeks in Stage 2. No new certificates are issued in Stages 3 and 4. Email engineeringinfo@chilliwack.com with the sod or seed receipt, a photo, your name, address and phone number.
Washing vehicles, boats and hard surfaces in Stage 1 is allowed only by handheld container or a hose with a spring-loaded nozzle.
Breaking a watering restriction is a $100 ticket (early payment $90, late payment $110).
Report violations to the Engineering Department at 604-793-2907 or engineeringinfo@chilliwack.com, with the address, time, date and device used.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Harrison Hot Springs · Kent · Abbotsford · Mission · Hope · Township of Langley

Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Summer Watering Restrictions, City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Water Conservation Stage Triggers, City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Stage 1 Lawn Sprinkling plan (PDF), City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Stage 2 plan (PDF), City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Stage 3 Lawn Sprinkling plan (PDF), City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Stage 4 Lawn Sprinkling plan (PDF), City of Chilliwack (read 2026-11-05)
Waterworks Regulation Bylaw 2004, No. 2995 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, Schedule A (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

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