Colwood watering restrictions

Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?

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

Short answer

Yes. Colwood follows the Capital Regional District (CRD) Water Conservation Bylaw. Stage 1 applies every year from May 1 to September 30: even-numbered addresses water lawns Wednesdays and Saturdays, odd-numbered addresses Thursdays and Sundays, 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m.

Key facts

When restrictions apply	Stage 1 restrictions apply automatically every year from May 1 to September 30. The regional water commission can change the Stage 1 period or bring in a stricter stage (2 or 3) at any time of year; a new stage takes effect 48 hours after public notice.Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, s. 2, 4(1), 4(2), 4(3); Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Passage containing “Stage 1 Watering Schedule of the Water Conservation Bylaw No. 4099 for the Regional Water Supply System is in ” · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The restrictions and regulations in this bylaw are applicable in each Municipality. The Stage 1 Water Use Restrictions prescribed in Schedule “A” are in effect each year from May 1 to September 30 inclusive take effect 48 hours after the Notice for that Stage under section 5(1) Stage 1 Watering Schedule of the Water Conservation Bylaw No. 4099 for the Regional Water Supply System is in effect May 1 through September 30 every year.
Sprinkling schedule	Stage 1 lawn watering: even-numbered addresses on Wednesdays and Saturdays; odd-numbered addresses on Thursdays and Sundays. Hours: 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. by any method; automatic timer irrigation systems may also run from 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m.Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, Schedule A, s. 1(1)(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the property has an even-numbered address, the lawn watering is on Wednesdays or Saturdays Thursdays or Sundays 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m. by utilizing an irrigation system with a timer or 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Allowed at any time	Trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered at any time by hand-held container, hand-held hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or micro/drip irrigation. Sprinklers on those plants only during the lawn watering hours (4-10 a.m., 7-10 p.m.). Filling pools, hot tubs and ponds is allowed in Stage 1.Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, Schedule A, s. 1(1)(b)(i); Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Passage containing “Hand Watering & Micro/Drip Irrigation \| Any day, any time” · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording water trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables on any day with a Sprinkler hand-held container, hand Micro-irrigation or Drip-irrigation systems. 4-10am or 7-10pm \| Hand Watering & Micro/Drip Irrigation \| Any day, any time Open all You may use water to fill wading pools, swimming pools, hot tubs, or garden pond during Stage 1 Water Restrictions. An uncovered swimming pool can lose up to one inch of water a week. Consider covering your water features to prevent evaporation loss.
New lawns	No permit is needed for new sod or seed. Bylaw 4099 allows watering new sod outside the Stage 1 lawn watering hours on installation and for the first 21 days after, and new seeded lawns until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. The CRD page says to water in the 4-10 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. windows. Then return to your set days and hours.Sources differ: The bylaw wording allows watering outside the usual lawn hours for new sod in the first 21 days; the CRD web page says to water between 4-10 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. Value follows the bylaw. Newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables: only during installation and the following 24 hours outside the schedule.Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, Schedule A, s. 1(1)(b)(iii); Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, New Sod and/or Newly Seeded Lawns · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording outside the prescribed Stage 1 lawn Watering hours, water new sod or newly seeded lawns, other than on new sod installation and during the first 21 days after installation, or for newly seeded lawns, water until growth is established or for 49 days after installation, whichever is less; A permit is not required to install new sod and/or newly seeded lawns. Water wisely and efficiently between the hours of 4 - 10 am and 7 - 10 pm for new sod
Fine	CRD ticket (Bylaw 1857, Schedule 26): Stage 1 lawn watering on the wrong day or time $200; wasting water $200 (Stage 1), $300 (Stage 2), $400 (Stage 3); Stage 2 lawn watering $250; Stage 3 lawn or boulevard watering $400. Court fine for any offence: $100 to $10,000.Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 1857 (consolidated March 2025), Capital Regional District, Schedule 26; Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, s. 10(1), 10(4) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Stage 1 – water lawn contrary to even-numbered Sch. A 1.(1)(a)(i) $200.00 Stage 2 – water lawn contrary to even-numbered Sch. A 2.(1)(a)(i) $250.00 Stage 3 – water lawn or boulevard Sch. A 3.(1)(a)(i) $400.00 Wasting water during Stage 1 7.(3) $200.00 Stage 2 – water lawn contrary to even-numbered is liable to a fine not less than $100 and not exceeding $10,000.
Bylaw	Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (CRD Bylaw No. 4099)Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024), Capital Regional District, s. 13 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording This Bylaw may be cited as “Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016”.

How it works

Colwood is a participating municipality of the CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099); the City has no separate water restriction bylaw. Stage 1 applies automatically every year from May 1 to September 30. The regional water commission can change that period or bring in Stage 2 or 3 at any time of year; a new stage takes effect 48 hours after public notice. The CRD page shows the current stage.

Good to know

Stage 1 lawn watering: even-numbered addresses on Wednesdays and Saturdays; odd-numbered addresses on Thursdays and Sundays. Multi-unit complexes use the complex's address number.
Hours: 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. by any method. Automatic timer irrigation may also run from 12:01 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Stage 2 allows lawn watering one day a week (Saturday for even, Sunday for odd), 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. See the bylaw's Schedule A for other stages.
Trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered at any time by hand-held container, hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or micro or drip irrigation. Sprinklers on them only during the lawn watering hours.
Filling pools, hot tubs and ponds is allowed in Stage 1. Vehicles and boats may be washed with a container or a hose with a shut-off nozzle.
No permit is needed for new sod or seed. The bylaw allows watering new sod outside the usual lawn hours on installation and for the first 21 days, and new seeded lawns until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. The CRD page says to water in the 4 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. windows, so check with the CRD.
Fines are CRD tickets under Bylaw 1857, not Colwood tickets. Nurseries and farms are exempt from the stage restrictions.

Official forms and pages

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Sources

Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District (read 2026-11-05)
Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099, consolidated April 2024) (PDF), Capital Regional District (read 2026-11-05)
Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 1857 (consolidated March 2025) (PDF), Capital Regional District (read 2026-11-05)

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