---
title: Grand Forks watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?"
place: Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/grand-forks
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Grand Forks
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/water-restrictions.json"
---

# Grand Forks watering restrictions

**Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?

**Short answer:** Yes. Grand Forks' Water Regulation Bylaw 2065 has a Normal stage plus Stages 1 to 3. Normal applies year-round unless City staff declare a higher stage. At Normal, lawn sprinkling is allowed up to three set days a week. Check the City's Sprinkling Regulations page for the current stage.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Grand Forks, https://www.grandforks.ca)  
**Cost:** Municipal tickets for failing to follow the restrictions (first / second / third offence): Stage 1 $50 / $100 / $150; Stage 2 $100 / $200 / $300; Stage 3 $150 / $300 / $450.  
**Where:**
- Online: Sprinkling Regulations page (current stage), https://www.grandforks.ca/sprinkling-regulations/
- Phone: City Hall, 250-442-8266 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** The Normal stage applies year-round unless City staff declare a higher stage (Stage 1 to 3) by notice; restrictions revert to Normal after October 15 unless still needed. Staff try to give up to 7 days' notice of planned changes.
  - Source: [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021, ss. 27-28](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "is active year-round except when a higher Restriction Stage has been declared in accordance with this bylaw." … "Water use restriction will automatically revert to Restriction Stage “Normal” after October 15th of any year unless restrictions are required to remain in effect." … "notice of up to 7 days will be provided."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Lawn sprinkling, Normal stage: manual sprinklers 6-9 a.m. and 7-10 p.m., automatic systems 12-4 a.m., up to 3 days a week (odd addresses Wed, Fri, Sun; even Tue, Thu, Sat). Stage 1: 2 days (Wed and Sun; Tue and Sat). Stage 2: 1 day (Sun; Sat). Stage 3: lawn watering prohibited.
  - Source: [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021, Schedule A, lines A and B](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Watering allowed between 6am – 9am and 7pm – 10pm up to 3" … "Watering allowed between 12am - 4am up to 3 days per week." … "Wednesday, Friday, Sunday" … "Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday" … "Wednesday & Sunday" … "Tuesday & Saturday" … "Use of water for this purpose prohibited."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Allowed at any time:** Handheld watering (spring-loaded nozzle on a hose, or a watering can) or drip irrigation of food gardens, aesthetic gardens, trees and shrubs is allowed any time in the Normal stage and Stage 1; in Stage 2 it follows the Normal-stage days, and in Stage 3 the Stage 1 days.
  - Source: [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021, Schedule A, lines C and E](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Handheld (spring-loaded nozzle on" … "Allowed - Anytime." … "hose or watering can) or Drip"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **New lawns:** Normal stage: seeding is recommended by April 30 or after September 30; a new lawn may be watered every day for 2 weeks (sod) or 6 weeks (seed) at the allowed hours, then follow the normal schedule. Stage 1: seeding must start before April 30 or after September 30 and watering follows the regular schedule. Stages 2 and 3: prohibited.
  - Source: [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021, Schedule A, line D](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Recommended that seeding start no later than April 30 or after" … "After installation the new lawn may be watered every day for 2" … "weeks for Sod or 6 weeks for Seeded Lawns at the same times as" … "Seeding must start before April 30 or after Sept. 30."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket for failing to follow watering restrictions (first / second / third offence): Stage 1 $50 / $100 / $150; Stage 2 $100 / $200 / $300; Stage 3 $150 / $300 / $450. The ticket schedule also lists a $600 'Stage 4' row, but the Water Bylaw has no Stage 4.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073, Schedule N](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2073Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Stage 1 Regulation – Water Outside of Hours" … "3rd Offence – Failure to follow water restrictions $150.00" … "3rd Offence – Failure to follow water restrictions $300.00" … "3rd Offence – Failure to follow water restrictions $450.00" … "Stage 4 Regulation – NO WATERING" … "Failure to follow water restrictions $600.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065.
  - Source: [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021, Title](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Water Regulation Bylaw 2065](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf) sets the stages in Schedule A. Normal applies year-round unless City staff declare a higher stage (1 to 3) by notice. Restrictions revert to Normal after October 15 unless still needed. Staff try to give up to 7 days' notice of planned changes. The City's Sprinkling Regulations page shows the current stage.

## Lawn sprinkling (Schedule A)

| Stage | Days | Odd addresses | Even addresses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Up to 3 days a week | Wed, Fri, Sun | Tue, Thu, Sat |
| 1 | 2 days | Wed, Sun | Tue, Sat |
| 2 | 1 day | Sun | Sat |
| 3 | Lawn watering prohibited | - | - |

Manual sprinklers: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Automatic systems: 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

## Good to know

- Handheld watering (a spring-loaded nozzle on a hose, or a watering can) or drip irrigation of food gardens, aesthetic gardens, trees and shrubs is allowed any time at Normal and Stage 1. In Stage 2 it follows the Normal-stage days, and in Stage 3 the Stage 1 days.
- New lawns, Normal: seeding is recommended by April 30 or after September 30, and a new lawn may be watered every day for 2 weeks (sod) or 6 weeks (seed) at the allowed hours. Stage 1: seeding must start before April 30 or after September 30. Stages 2 and 3: prohibited.
- The ticket schedule also lists a $600 row for a "Stage 4", but the bylaw has no Stage 4.

## Official forms and pages

- [Water Regulation Bylaw 2065, with Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Greenwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/water-restrictions.md)
- [Midway](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/water-restrictions.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/water-restrictions.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/water-restrictions.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/water-restrictions.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Water Regulation Bylaw No. 2065, consolidated July 28, 2021 (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2065Water-Regulation-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-1.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2073, Schedule N (PDF), City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2073Municipal-Ticket-Information-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED-2.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Sprinkling Regulations, City of Grand Forks](https://www.grandforks.ca/sprinkling-regulations/) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Grand Forks. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/water-restrictions/_