--- title: Port Hardy watering restrictions question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Port Hardy?" place: Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-hardy category: Water, sewer, roads and snow owner: municipal owner_body: District of Port Hardy sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/water-restrictions/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/water-restrictions.json" --- # Port Hardy watering restrictions **Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Port Hardy? **Short answer:** Yes. Port Hardy's Water Conservation Bylaw puts Stage 1 watering rules in effect every year from May 1 to October 31. Under Stage 1, even-numbered homes water lawns Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and odd-numbered homes Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, 7 to 9 a.m. or 8 to 10 p.m. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Port Hardy, https://porthardy.ca) **Cost:** Permit to water a new lawn outside permitted days: $22. Municipal ticket: $100 (Stage 1) or $200 (Stage 2) for watering outside permitted days. **Where:** - In person: District of Port Hardy Municipal Hall, 7360 Columbia St., Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding statutory holidays)) - Phone: District Office, 250-949-6665 - Phone: Operational Services (public works), 250-949-7779 ## Key facts - **When restrictions apply:** Stage 1 is in effect every year from May 1 to October 31. The District Administrator can change that period or bring in a stricter stage (2, 3 or 4) at any time, effective 48 hours after the public announcement. (Sources differ: Conflict: the District's FAQ page says Stage 1 runs 'May 1st to September 30th'; the bylaw says October 31. A May 28, 2026 news item announced Level 2 (Stage 2); the current stage is not given here.) - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, s. 3(a), 3(b), 3(c)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "are in" … "effect in each year from May 1st to October 31st both inclusive" … "terminate or bring into effect a Stage more restrictive than Stage 1 at any time of" … "comes into force in the District forty eight (48) hours after" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Sprinkling schedule:** Stage 1 lawn watering: even-numbered homes Mon, Wed, Sat; odd-numbered homes Tue, Thu, Sun; 7 to 9 a.m. or 8 to 10 p.m. Stage 2: even Wed and Sat, odd Thu and Sun, same hours. Stage 3: no lawn watering. Non-residential: 1 to 8 a.m., maximum 2 hours. - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, Schedule A, s. 1.1, 2.1, 3.1](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "at a residential premises with even-numbered civic addresses Monday," … "Wednesday and Saturday between the hours of 7:00am-9:00am OR 8:00pm-" … "at a premises with even-numbered civic addresses Wednesday and Saturday" … "no person shall" … "water a lawn or Boulevard;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Allowed at any time:** Stage 1 and 2: trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered any day by hand-held container or hose with a shut-off nozzle, and drip or micro-irrigation any day for up to 3 hours. Stage 3: only by hand or drip and only in set hours (hand), no sprinklers. - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, Schedule A, s. 1.1(b), 2.1(c), 3.1(b)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "on any date at any time if watering" … "is done by hand-held container or a hose equipped with a shut-off nozzle" … "use Micro-irrigation or Drip-irrigation systems to water trees, shrubs, flowers and" … "vegetables at any time on any day to a maximum of 3 hours" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **New lawns:** During Stage 1 only, a permit lets you sprinkle a new lawn outside the permitted days but within the permitted hours: new sod for 21 days, new seed until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. Fee $22. No permits in Stage 2 or 3; they become invalid. (Sources differ: Fee conflict: Schedule B of the bylaw says $20; the 2026 User Rates and Fees Bylaw says 'Permit to water new lawn outside permitted days 22.00'; the current rates bylaw is the later one.) - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, Schedule B, s. 1 to 5](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "During Stage 1, a person who has installed a new lawn, either newly seeded or new sod, may" … "Permits will not be issued during Stage 2 or Stage 3 restrictions." … "New sod may be watered for 21 days after installation and newly seeded lawn may be watered" - Source: [User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026, Misc. fees](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1187-2026-User-Rates-and-Fees-for-2026.pdf) - Official wording: "Permit to water new lawn outside permitted days" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Fine:** Municipal ticket (Schedule S, which still cites repealed Bylaw 06-2005): watering outside permitted days $100 in Stage 1, $200 in Stage 2; wasting water $100; unlawful use of water $300. Court minimums in Bylaw 1050-2016 s. 11 are $50 (Stage 1) and $75 (Stage 2) for breaking stage rules. (Sources differ: Conflict: the Municipal Ticket schedule (Schedule S, still citing the repealed Bylaw 06-2005) lists $100 for Stage 1 and $200 for Stage 2 watering outside permitted days, and $300 for unlawful vehicle washing; the water bylaw's s. 11 gives $50 and $75 for those offences. Ticket bylaw consolidated August 2014.) - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, s. 11(a)(ii), (iii)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "$100 plus" … "costs if the offence is committed during Stage 1, $200 plus costs if the offence is" … "a minimum fine of $50 plus costs" - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014, Schedule S, Water Conservation Bylaw No. 06-2005](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf) - Official wording: "Watering during Stage 1 restrictions outside of permitted day and/or" … "Watering during Stage 2 restrictions outside of permitted day and/or" … "Wasting water $ 100.00" … "Unlawful use of water $ 300.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** District of Port Hardy Water Conservation Bylaw 1050-2016 (consolidated for convenience, October 2018, with Bylaw 1086-2018). - Source: [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018, s. 1](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "A BYLAW TO REGULATE CONSERVATION OF WATER" … "Amending Bylaw 1086-2018, October 2018" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The [Water Conservation Bylaw 1050-2016]() sets stages. Stage 1 is in effect every year from May 1 to October 31. The District Administrator can change that period or bring in a stricter stage (2, 3 or 4) at any time, effective 48 hours after the public announcement. To find the current stage, check the District's website or call the District Office at 250-949-6665. ## Steps 1. Stage 1 lawn watering: even-numbered homes Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; odd-numbered homes Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday; 7 to 9 a.m. or 8 to 10 p.m. 2. Stage 2: even-numbered homes Wednesday and Saturday; odd-numbered homes Thursday and Sunday; same hours. 3. Stage 3: no lawn watering. 4. Non-residential premises: 1 to 8 a.m., maximum 2 hours. In Stage 1 they also follow the even and odd days. ## Good to know - Stage 1 and 2: trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables may be watered any day by hand-held container or hose with a shut-off nozzle, and by drip or micro-irrigation any day for up to 3 hours. In Stage 3, only by hand or drip and only in set hours, with no sprinklers. - Also exempt in Stage 1: newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables for 24 hours after planting, filling pools and hot tubs, and hand vehicle washing. Nurseries and farms are exempt in every stage. - New lawns, Stage 1 only: a permit ($22) lets you water outside permitted days but within permitted hours. New sod gets 21 days; new seed until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. No permits in Stage 2 or 3. - A municipal ticket is $100 (Stage 1) or $200 (Stage 2) for watering outside permitted days, $100 for wasting water and $300 for unlawful use of water ([Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw 01-2010]()). The water bylaw's own court minimums are $50 and $75, so confirm the amount with the District. - The District's FAQ page says Stage 1 runs May 1 to September 30, while the bylaw says October 31. The bylaw is the rule; confirm with the District. - Schedule B of the bylaw says the new lawn permit is $20; the [User Rates and Fees Bylaw 1187-2026]() says $22. ## Official forms and pages - [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) - [User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1187-2026-User-Rates-and-Fees-for-2026.pdf) - [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf) ## Related questions - [Port Hardy bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/bylaw-fines.md) - [Port Hardy garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/garbage-collection.md) - [Port Hardy building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/building-permit.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md) - [Port McNeill](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-mcneill/water-restrictions.md) - [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/water-restrictions.md) - [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/water-restrictions.md) - [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/water-restrictions.md) - [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/water-restrictions.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/water-restrictions.md) ## Sources - [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1050-2016, consolidated October 2018 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1050-2016-CONSOLIDATED-Water-Conservation-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1187-2026-User-Rates-and-Fees-for-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [FAQs, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/faqs/) (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 District of Port Hardy. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/water-restrictions/_