{"title":"Osoyoos watering restrictions","question":"Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Osoyoos?","slug":"water-restrictions","place":{"path":"ca/bc/osoyoos","name":"Osoyoos","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 Osoyoos","url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca"},"short_answer":"In Osoyoos, sprinkling is limited to set days all year, even at the Normal stage, with five stages from Normal to Stage 4. The Town sets the stage and posts it on its Water Restrictions page. Check there for the current stage before you water.","aliases":["sprinkling osoyoos","watering days osoyoos","water restrictions osoyoos","lawn watering schedule osoyoos"],"cost":"Fines, first offence: bylaw notice $100 at Normal to $500 at Stage 3 or 4; municipal ticket $100 to $1,000. Repeat offences are higher.","how_long":"The stage can change; check osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Town Hall","value":"250-495-6515","note":"Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"After-hours emergencies (water, sewer and roads)","value":"250-498-7676"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/"},{"title":"Water Restrictions, Town of Osoyoos","url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Osoyoos bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"backyard-fire","title":"Osoyoos backyard fire and burning rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/backyard-fire/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/keremeos","name":"Keremeos","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/keremeos/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/midway","name":"Midway","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/midway/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/penticton","name":"Penticton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/penticton/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/greenwood","name":"Greenwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/summerland","name":"Summerland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/summerland/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/grand-forks","name":"Grand Forks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/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":"Year-round: even at the Normal stage, sprinkling is limited to set days. Five stages: Normal, 1, 2, 3, 4. The CAO sets the stage from reservoir capacity, stream flow or precipitation and posts it on the Town website. Applies only to water from the Town domestic system.","short":"Year-round (Normal stage); Stages 1 to 4 set by CAO","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 10, 11, 14","quotes":["The CAO shall determine the stage of restrictions based on the reservoir capacity, stream","Notice under subsection 10 must be published on the Town’s website"]},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, Town of Osoyoos","section":"Water Restrictions","quotes":["These restrictions are for water supplied by the Town of Osoyoos Domestic Water System only."]},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/water-conservation-tips","title":"Water Conservation Tips, Town of Osoyoos","section":"How to conserve water outdoors","quotes":["Follow the Town of Osoyoos' year-round outdoor watering regulations"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"schedule":{"label":"Sprinkling schedule","value":"Manual sprinklers 6-10 a.m. and 7 p.m.-midnight; automatic timers midnight-4 a.m. Zone 1 is east of the Osoyoos Lake bridge, Zone 2 west of it and north of 62nd Ave, Zone 3 south of 62nd Ave. Normal/Stage 1: 3 days (Z1 Mon Thu Sat; Z2 Tue Thu Sun; Z3 Mon Wed Fri). Stage 2: 2 days (Mon Thu; Tue Fri; Wed Sun). Stage 3: 1 day (Mon; Fri; Wed). Stage 4: none.","short":"Normal/Stage 1: 3 days a week by zone","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, lines A and B","quotes":["Watering allowed between 6am-10am and 7pm-12am","Watering allowed between 12am-4am up to 3 days per","Zone 1 Monday, Thursday, Saturday Monday, Thursday, Saturday Monday & Thursday Monday","Zone 2 Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday Tuesday & Friday Friday","Zone 3 Monday, Wednesday, Friday Monday, Wednesday, Friday Wednesday & Sunday Wednesday","aesthetic lawn and garden watering is prohibited."]},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, Town of Osoyoos","section":"Zones 1-3","quotes":["Zone 1 in the map includes all properties east of the bridge over Osoyoos Lake, extending to the northern, southern and eastern municipal boundaries.","Zone 3 includes all properties south of 62nd Avenue, including the south side of 62nd Avenue and extending to the western and southern municipal boundaries."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exempt_watering":{"label":"Allowed at any time","value":"Normal and Stage 1: drip or micro-jet and handheld (spring-loaded nozzle or can) any time. Stage 2: drip any day 7 p.m.-10 a.m. Stage 3: drip potted plants Tuesdays and Sundays, in-ground plants on the Stage 2 days, 6-10 a.m. and 7 p.m.-midnight; food gardens and fruit trees Tuesdays and Fridays. Stage 4: none.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, lines C, D, F","quotes":["Garden Watering - Micro Anytime Anytime Watering allowed any day between 7pm-10am.","10am and 7pm to 12am, as required to maintain plant","Use of water supplied by Town of Osoyoos prohibited."]},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, Town of Osoyoos","section":"Zone 1","quotes":["Tuesdays & Fridays or as required to maintain plant health","Potted plants: Tuesdays & Sundays","Tuesdays & Fridays"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"new_lawns":{"label":"New lawns","value":"A permit is required for sod or seeding starting no later than April 30 or after September 1, as the schedule words it. After installation, resume normal staged watering after 2 weeks for sod or 6 weeks for seeded lawns. No new permits are issued at Stage 3 or Stage 4.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, line E","quotes":["Permit Required for sod or seeding starting no later than","Apr 30 or after Sept. 1. After installation (2 weeks for","No new permits issued for sod or seeded lawns."]},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 15","quotes":["The CAO may designate the form of permit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice, first offence: Normal $100, Stage 1 $200, Stage 2 $300, Stage 3 or 4 $500; repeat offences in a calendar year $500. Municipal ticket, first offence: Normal $100, Stage 1 $200, Stage 2 $300, Stage 3 $300, Stage 4 $1,000; second and later offences $500 to $1,000.","short":"Notice $100 Normal; $200 Stage 1; ticket $100 Normal","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/150460/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, Water Conservation","quotes":["11 Fail to obey normal restrictions – $100 $100 $110 Yes 1st offence","11 Fail to obey stage 1 restrictions - $200 $200 $210 Yes 1st offence","11 Fail to obey stage 2 restrictions - $300 $300 $310 Yes 1st offence","11 Fail to obey stage 3 restrictions $500 $450 $500 No"]},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"Schedule 22","quotes":["Fail to obey Stage 3 restrictions 1st offence 11 $300 $300","Fail to obey Stage 4 restriction 11 $1000 $1000"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be citied as “Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe Town of Osoyoos's [Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273](https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/) limits sprinkling on set days all year, even at the Normal stage. There are five stages: Normal, 1, 2, 3 and 4. The CAO sets the stage from reservoir capacity, stream flow or precipitation and posts it on the Town's [Water Restrictions page](https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions). The rules apply only to water from the Town's domestic system. Rainwater, greywater and other non-Town water are not restricted.\n\nYour day depends on your zone: Zone 1 is east of the bridge over Osoyoos Lake; Zone 2 is west of the bridge and north of 62nd Avenue; Zone 3 is south of 62nd Avenue.\n\n## Watering days\n\nManual sprinklers: 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight. Automatic timers: midnight to 4 a.m.\n\n- Normal and Stage 1 (3 days): Zone 1 Monday, Thursday, Saturday; Zone 2 Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday; Zone 3 Monday, Wednesday, Friday.\n- Stage 2 (2 days): Zone 1 Monday, Thursday; Zone 2 Tuesday, Friday; Zone 3 Wednesday, Sunday.\n- Stage 3 (1 day): Zone 1 Monday; Zone 2 Friday; Zone 3 Wednesday.\n- Stage 4: no sprinkling.\n\n## Other watering\n\n- Normal and Stage 1: drip, micro-jet and handheld (spring-loaded nozzle or can) any time.\n- Stage 2: drip any day 7 p.m. to 10 a.m.\n- Stage 3: drip for potted plants Tuesdays and Sundays, in-ground plants on the Stage 2 days, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. to midnight; food gardens and fruit trees Tuesdays and Fridays.\n- Stage 4: none.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- New lawns need a permit. No new permits are issued at Stage 3 or 4. After installing sod, resume normal staged watering after 2 weeks; after seeding, 6 weeks. The schedule's wording on dates is unclear, so ask the Town.\n- Rural water users (Systems 8 and 9) follow Zone 2 and Zone 3 days and a separate Osoyoos Water District bylaw.\n- Fines, first offence: a bylaw notice is $100 at Normal, $200 at Stage 1, $300 at Stage 2 and $500 at Stage 3 or 4; a municipal ticket is $100, $200, $300, $300 and $1,000 (Stage 4). Repeat offences are higher.","sources":[{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/162822/","title":"Water Conservation and Staged Restriction Bylaw No. 1273, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/waterrestrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, Town of Osoyoos","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.osoyoos.ca/water-conservation-tips","title":"Water Conservation Tips, Town of Osoyoos","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/150460/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1392, 2025, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://osoyoos.civicweb.net/document/82635/","title":"Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 1279, 2011, Town of Osoyoos (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","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/osoyoos/water-restrictions/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/water-restrictions.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/osoyoos/water-restrictions.json"}}