---
title: Northern Rockies watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Northern Rockies?"
place: Northern Rockies, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/northern-rockies
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: municipal
owner_body: Northern Rockies Regional Municipality
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/water-restrictions.json"
---

# Northern Rockies watering restrictions

**Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Northern Rockies?

**Short answer:** Yes. Northern Rockies Regional Municipality limits sprinkler use year-round: even-numbered addresses water Monday, Thursday and Saturday, odd-numbered addresses Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, only 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Stages 1 to 3 add tighter limits when declared.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, https://www.northernrockies.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notices (early within 21 days / late after 32 days): other days or times $100 ($90 / $110); Stage 1 $100 ($90 / $110); Stage 2 $250 ($225 / $275); Stage 3 $500 ($450 / $500).  
**How long:** The year-round schedule always applies. A stage lasts until the municipality ends it; public notice is given.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Public Works, 250.774.2541 option 3
- Online: Water and Sewer page (current notices), https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** Year-round limits on sprinkler use apply to everyone in the water service area (days and hours per the schedule). The Chief Administrative Officer can declare a shortage and a stage: Stage 1 reduced watering, Stage 2 hand watering only, Stage 3 in-home water use only. Public notice is given when a stage takes effect.
  - Source: [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 6.1, 7, 9.1](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
  - Official wording: "to restrict or ration the use of water for all or any purposes by declaring the" … "STAGE 1: REDUCED WATERING" … "STAGE 2: HAND WATERING ONLY" … "STAGE 3: IN HOME WATER USE ONLY" … "set regulations for the year-round conservation of water"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Outside stages: even-numbered addresses Monday, Thursday, Saturday; odd-numbered addresses Tuesday, Friday, Sunday; only 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Stage 1: only 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. on those days. Stage 2: no watering system; hand watering only. Stage 3: none. (Sources differ: The FAQ on the Water and Sewer page ("Updates to the Water Bylaw", a Stage 1 notice) says watering is permitted only between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM on designated days, which differs from the bylaw's 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. for Stage 1; the bylaw wins. Treat the 7 to 11 a.m. times as a dated notice.)
  - Source: [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 7.2, 7.3, 9.1.1.1](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
  - Official wording: "no person shall water lawns, gardens and other landscaped areas with a Watering System except during the prescribed watering hours of 5:00 am to 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm." … "for properties bearing even-numbered civic addresses - on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays; and" … "for properties bearing odd-numbered civic addresses - on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays." … "outside of the hours of 5:00 am to 9:00 am on prescribed watering days;"
  - Source: [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Outdoor Watering Restrictions](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer)
  - Official wording: "Permitted watering can only occur between the hours of 5:00 am to 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Allowed at any time:** The year-round day and hour limits are written for a "Watering System" (in-ground, drip or sprinkler systems). Under Stage 2, hand watering of trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables with a container or shut-off hose is allowed, but only on prescribed days and hours. Stage 3: no outdoor watering.
  - Source: [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 3.9, 9.1.2.4](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
  - Official wording: "means a watering system, which may include in-ground" … "water trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables if watering is done" … "by handheld container or a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle" … "but only during the prescribed watering hours and days;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **New lawns:** Outside stages: new sod, newly seeded lawn, and newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered during installation and on any day for the next 7 days, but only in the prescribed watering hours. Stage 2: newly planted vegetation may be hand-watered during installation and for 24 hours. Stage 3: no watering, even new lawns. (Sources differ: The web page says 24 hours for newly planted trees and shrubs; the bylaw says 7 days (outside stages). The bylaw wins.)
  - Source: [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 7.4, 9.1.2.5, 9.1.3.1](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
  - Official wording: "water new sod or newly seeded lawn during installation and on any day" … "during the following 7 days but only during the prescribed watering hours." … "during installation and for the following 24" … "including newly seeded or sodded lawns"
  - Source: [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Outdoor Watering Restrictions](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer)
  - Official wording: "Newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables can be watered during installation and for the following 24-hour period."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notices (early within 21 days / late after 32 days): watering on a non-designated day or time $100 ($90 / $110); during Stage 1 $100 ($90 / $110); Stage 2 $250 ($225 / $275); Stage 3 $500 ($450 / $500).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 59, 2011 (PDF, consolidated May 2024), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Schedule A, Water](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/59372/)
  - Official wording: "designated day and/or a non- 14(a) $100 $90 $110" … "of Stage 1 Reduced Watering 17 $100 $90 $110" … "of Stage 2 Hand Watering Only 17 $250 $225 $275" … "of Stage 3 In Home Water Use Only 17 $500 $450 $500"
  - Source: [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Outdoor Watering Restrictions](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer)
  - Official wording: "These restrictions are actively enforced - fines range from $100 - $500."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025 (adopted January 27, 2025; replaced Bylaw No. 78, 2012).
  - Source: [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, cover and s. 2.1](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
  - Official wording: "Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025" … "Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 78,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/) sets year-round limits for everyone in the water service area. The Chief Administrative Officer can declare a shortage and a stage, with public notice when it takes effect. The current stage is not stated here; check the Water and Sewer page. The day and hour limits are written for a "watering system" (in-ground, drip or sprinkler systems).

## Steps

1. Outside any stage: water with a system only on your days (even-numbered addresses Monday, Thursday, Saturday; odd-numbered Tuesday, Friday, Sunday), from 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
2. Stage 1: only 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. on those days.
3. Stage 2: no watering system. Hand watering of trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables with a container or shut-off hose is allowed, but only on prescribed days and hours.
4. Stage 3: in-home water use only, no outdoor watering.

## Good to know

- New sod, newly seeded lawn and newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered during installation and on any day for the next 7 days, but only in the prescribed hours. Under Stage 2, newly planted vegetation may be hand-watered during installation and for 24 hours. Stage 3 allows none.
- The Water and Sewer page notice shows different hours for Stage 1 (7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) and 24 hours for new plantings. The bylaw says otherwise; confirm with Public Works.
- No exemption for food gardens or drip irrigation was found.

## Official forms and pages

- [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025 (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/)
- [Water and Sewer](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer)

## Related questions

- [Northern Rockies bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Northern Rockies garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/garbage-collection.md)
- [Northern Rockies yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/yard-waste.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Stewart](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/water-restrictions.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/water-restrictions.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/water-restrictions.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/water-restrictions.md)
- [Fort St. John](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-john/water-restrictions.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Water Use Restriction Bylaw No. 232, 2025 (PDF), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/49461/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 59, 2011 (PDF, consolidated May 2024), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/59372/) (read 2026-11-08)

_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 Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/water-restrictions/_