{"title":"Lake Cowichan watering restrictions","question":"Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Lake Cowichan?","slug":"water-restrictions","place":{"path":"ca/bc/lake-cowichan","name":"Lake Cowichan","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"water-roads-and-snow","name":"Water, sewer, roads and snow"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes. In Lake Cowichan, Stage 1 watering restrictions apply May 1 to October 31 each year. Stricter stages are imposed as required. Check the Town's Water Use Restrictions page for the current stage. At Stage 1, sprinklers may run up to 2 hours a day on set days, between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.","aliases":["watering restrictions lake cowichan","sprinkling ban lake cowichan","lawn watering days lake cowichan","water stage lake cowichan"],"cost":"Garden Irrigation Permit: $25. No ticket amount found; fine up to $2,000 on conviction.","how_long":"New sod permit lasts 21 days; seed permit 49 days.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall","value":"39 South Shore Road, Lake Cowichan, BC V0R 2G0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"online","label":"Water Use Restrictions page (current stage)","value":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf"},{"title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php"},{"title":"2026 Stage 1 Water Restrictions notice (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/2026-Water-Restrictions-Stage%201.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"garbage-collection","title":"Lake Cowichan garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/garbage-collection/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/ladysmith","name":"Ladysmith","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/duncan","name":"Duncan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-cowichan","name":"North Cowichan","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nanaimo","name":"Nanaimo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-saanich","name":"North Saanich","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/water-restrictions/"}],"topic":{"title":"Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions/"},"facts":{"in_effect":{"label":"When restrictions apply","value":"Stage 1 (Normal) restrictions apply May 1 to October 31. Stages 2 to 4 are imposed as required, with Stage 2 tied to Provincial Drought Level 3 and Stage 3 to Level 4.","short":"Stage 1: May 1 to October 31; stricter as required","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf","title":"Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 15.6(a)","quotes":["shall apply between May 1 and October 31 unless exempted by","Permit for newly planted lawns or landscaping;"]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php","title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Water Use Restrictions page","quotes":["STAGE 1 As Permitted | STAGE 2 Provincial Drought Level 3 OR As Required1 | STAGE 3","| STAGE 2 Provincial Drought Level 3 OR As Required1 | STAGE 3 Provincial Drought Level 4"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"schedule":{"label":"Sprinkling schedule","value":"Stage 1: sprinklers up to 2 hours per day; even-numbered addresses Wednesday and Saturday, odd-numbered addresses Thursday and Sunday. Watering is permitted only between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. Stage 2: one day (even Wednesday, odd Sunday).","short":"Stage 1: even Wed, Sat; odd Thu, Sun; 2 hours a day","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php","title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Water Use Restrictions page","quotes":["Even Addresses - Wed & Sat","Odd Addresses - Thu & Sun","Sprinkling and hand-watering is NOT permitted between 9:00am and 7:00pm."]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/2026-Water-Restrictions-Stage%201.pdf","title":"2026 Stage 1 Water Restrictions notice (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"2026 Stage 1 notice","quotes":["Outdoor watering is permitted only between 7pm and 9am"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"exempt_watering":{"label":"Allowed at any time","value":"Hand watering and micro or drip irrigation of trees, shrubs and gardens may be done on any day, but not between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Food gardens and fruit trees: 4 hours a day (Stages 1 and 2), 2 hours (Stages 3 and 4); ornamentals 2 hours, then 1 hour. Weeper hoses allowed; soaker hoses not.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php","title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Water Use Restrictions page","quotes":["Residents can use a bucket, spring-loaded spray nozzle or micro/drip irrigation to water trees, shrubs and gardens on any day of the week.","Weeper hoses are considered micro/drip irrigation, and are permitted; soaker hoses are not permitted.","Vegetable Gardens, Fruit Trees","Sprinkling and hand-watering is NOT permitted between 9:00am and 7:00pm."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"new_lawns":{"label":"New lawns","value":"A Garden Irrigation Permit lets new lawns be watered any day, 2 hours a day at Stage 1. Permits last 21 days for new sod or 49 days for seed, and are not issued during Stage 2, 3 or 4. The permit costs $25.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php","title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Water Use Restrictions page","quotes":["Permits may be issued for 21 days where new sod has been planted or 49 days where the lawn will be grown from seed.","Sprinkling or Garden Irrigation Permits will not be issued during Stage 2, Stage 3 or Stage 4 water use restrictions."]},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1127-2025%20Fees%20and%20Charges%20for%20Services.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges for Services Bylaw No. 1127-2025 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"Schedule E, Water Charges","quotes":["Water main tapping fee 500.00 per lot Garden Irrigation Permit 25.00 11 | P a g e"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"No ticket amount found. On conviction, a fine up to $2,000.","short":"No ticket; up to $2,000 in court","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf","title":"Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 21.3","quotes":["a fine not exceeding Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Town of Lake Cowichan Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf","title":"Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Town of Lake Cowichan Water Regulations and Rates"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024](<https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf>) sets Stage 1 (Normal) restrictions from May 1 to October 31. Stages 2 to 4 are imposed as required. Stage 2 is tied to Provincial Drought Level 3 and Stage 3 to Level 4. The Town's [Water Use Restrictions page](https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php) shows the stage now in force.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Stage 1: sprinklers up to 2 hours per day. Even-numbered addresses: Wednesday and Saturday. Odd-numbered addresses: Thursday and Sunday. Watering is permitted only between 7 p.m. and 9 a.m.\n- Stage 2: one day only (even Wednesday, odd Sunday).\n- Hand watering and micro or drip irrigation of trees, shrubs and gardens may be done on any day, but not between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Food gardens and fruit trees: 4 hours a day (Stages 1 and 2), 2 hours (Stages 3 and 4); ornamentals 2 hours, then 1 hour. Weeper hoses are allowed; soaker hoses are not.\n- New lawns: a Garden Irrigation Permit ($25) lets new lawns be watered any day, 2 hours a day at Stage 1. It lasts 21 days for new sod or 49 days for seed, and is not issued during Stage 2, 3 or 4.\n- No ticket amount was found. On conviction, a fine of up to $2,000 applies.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1112-2024%20Water%20Rates%20and%20Regulations.pdf","title":"Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 1112-2024 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/water-restrictions.php","title":"Water Use Restrictions, Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/2026-Water-Restrictions-Stage%201.pdf","title":"2026 Stage 1 Water Restrictions notice (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl/1127-2025%20Fees%20and%20Charges%20for%20Services.pdf","title":"Fees and Charges for Services Bylaw No. 1127-2025 (PDF), Town of Lake Cowichan","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/water-restrictions/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/water-restrictions.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/water-restrictions.json"}}