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

# Kimberley watering restrictions

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

**Short answer:** Yes. The City of Kimberley's Water Shortage Response Bylaw has four stages. Stage 1 starts automatically on June 1 if no stage is in force, and no stage lasts past September 30 unless the City declares otherwise. At Stage 1, residential lawns are watered on even or odd dates by address.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Kimberley, https://www.kimberley.ca)  
**Cost:** New-lawn permit $30 for a single-family home (from the 2015 bylaw; the 2026 fees amendment lists none). Municipal ticket $100 first offence, $250 second or later.  
**How long:** A new stage takes effect 72 hours after the public announcement. A permit lasts 21 days and can be extended once, to no more than 42 days from first issue.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Operations, 250-427-9660
- Email: Operations, operations@kimberley.ca

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** Four stages, declared by the City's Senior Manager of Operations with the Chief Administrative Officer's approval and in force 72 hours after a public announcement. Stage 1 starts automatically on June 1 if no stage is in force. No stage lasts past September 30 unless the City declares otherwise. The current stage is not stated on the City pages.
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, ss. 3.1, 3.2, 3.4](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
  - Official wording: "declare that the City of Kimberley has activated a restriction stage." … "comes into force in the City 72" … "restrictions come into force automatically on that date without prior" … "No restriction stage remains in force after September"
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Amendment Bylaw No. 2696, 2021, s. 2.7](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/85437/)
  - Official wording: "Throughout the bylaw, delete "Manager, Operations & Environment Services"" … "and replace by "Senior Manager of Operations"."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Lawns at residential addresses. Stage 1: even addresses on even dates, odd addresses on odd dates, 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Stage 2: even addresses Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses Thursday and Sunday, same hours. Stage 3: no lawn watering. Stage 4: no watering of lawns, gardens or trees, including drip irrigation.
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, Schedule A, Parts 1 to 4](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
  - Official wording: "at residential premises with even numbered civic" … "addresses on even numbered calendar days between" … "on Wednesdays & Saturdays between the" … "on Thursdays & Sundays between the" … "water lawns;" … "Stage 4 restrictions" … "water, or engage in drip irrigation using water:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Allowed at any time:** Stages 1 to 3: flowers, flower and vegetable gardens, decorative planters, shrubs and trees may still be watered, and drip irrigation is not counted as watering. Stage 4 bans watering them and drip irrigation. Pools, spas, garden ponds and school or sports fields have exemptions at stages 1 to 3; hand-held hose washing needs a shut-off nozzle.
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, ss. 2.1, Schedule A 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
  - Official wording: "but does not include drip" … "irrigation." … "flowers and flower gardens, vegetables and vegetable" … "gardens, decorative planters, shrubs or trees;" … "pools, spas, and garden ponds;" … "water, or engage in drip irrigation using water:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **New lawns:** A permit lets you water new sod, turf, seed or landscaping at set times during Stage 1 or 2. It costs $30 for a single-family home ($30 for each unit in a multiple development, up to $150 for 5 or more), lasts 21 days, and can be extended once, to no more than 42 days from the first issue. It does not apply at Stage 3 or 4.
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, ss. 4.1 to 4.5](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
  - Official wording: "may apply to the Manager, Operations & Environment" … "A permit does not" … "exempt the holder from stage 3 restrictions or stage 4 restrictions." … "of a fee in the amount of $30.00 for a single family dwelling unit and an" … "additional $30.00 for each of the dwelling units in a multiple residential" … "development, to a maximum of $150.00 for 5 or more dwelling units in a" … "shall expire and be of no force or" … "effect 21 days after the date of its issue" … "section 4.2 ."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $100 for a first offence and $250 for a second or later offence, for watering or other uses banned at any stage (including no shut-off device on a hose).
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Amendment Bylaw No. 2672, 2021, Schedule 14 (Water Shortage Response)](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/81479)
  - Official wording: "Watering during prohibited time 1.1(a) 100 250" … "Watering lawns 3.1(a) 100 250" … "No automatic shut-off device 1.1(b) 100 250"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Kimberley Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, as amended by Amendment Bylaw No. 2696, 2021
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015, s. 1.1](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
  - Official wording: "City of Kimberley Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015"
  - Source: [Water Shortage Response Amendment Bylaw No. 2696, 2021, s. 1.1](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/85437/)
  - Official wording: "City of Kimberley Water Shortage Response Amendment Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015](<https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf>), as amended in 2021, has four stages. The Senior Manager of Operations declares a stage with the Chief Administrative Officer's approval, and it takes effect 72 hours after a public announcement. Stage 1 starts automatically on June 1 if no stage is in force. No stage lasts past September 30 unless the City declares otherwise. The City's pages do not state the current stage, so check the Outdoor Watering page or ask Operations. The stages do not apply to rainwater, gray water or recycled water.

## Stages (residential lawns)

- **Stage 1:** even addresses on even dates and odd addresses on odd dates, 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- **Stage 2:** even addresses Wednesday and Saturday, odd addresses Thursday and Sunday, same hours.
- **Stage 3:** no lawn watering.
- **Stage 4:** no watering of lawns, gardens or trees, including drip irrigation.

## Good to know

- At stages 1 to 3, flowers, flower and vegetable gardens, decorative planters, shrubs and trees may still be watered, and drip irrigation is not counted as watering. Pools, spas, garden ponds and school or sports fields have exemptions at stages 1 to 3.
- Washing vehicles needs a hose with an automatic shut-off device at every stage. Non-residential premises have separate days and hours in the bylaw.
- A permit lets you water new sod, turf, seed or landscaping at set times during Stage 1 or 2. It costs $30 for a single-family home ($30 for each unit in a multiple development, up to $150 for 5 or more), lasts 21 days, and can be extended once to no more than 42 days from first issue. It does not apply at Stage 3 or 4. Apply to the Senior Manager of Operations (250-427-9660, operations@kimberley.ca) and post the permit on a post facing the street beside the main driveway.
- A municipal ticket for watering or other uses banned at any stage (including no shut-off device on a hose) is $100 for a first offence and $250 for a second or later offence.

## Official forms and pages

- [Outdoor Watering page](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/environment/outdoor-watering)
- [Water Shortage Response Bylaw 2527 (PDF)](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf)
- [Water Shortage Permit Application](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/64954)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Cranbrook](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/water-restrictions.md)
- [Canal Flats](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/water-restrictions.md)
- [Fernie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/water-restrictions.md)
- [Creston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/creston/water-restrictions.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/water-restrictions.md)
- [Elkford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Water Shortage Response Bylaw No. 2527, 2015 (PDF), City of Kimberley](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/34723/Water%20Shortage%20Response%20Bylaw%20No%202527.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Water Shortage Response Amendment Bylaw No. 2696, 2021 (PDF), City of Kimberley](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/85437/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Amendment Bylaw No. 2672, 2021 (PDF), City of Kimberley](https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/81479) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Outdoor Watering, City of Kimberley](https://www.kimberley.ca/services/environment/outdoor-watering) (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 Kimberley. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/water-restrictions/_