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Smithers watering restrictions

Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Smithers?

Smithers, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

In Smithers, Stage 1 water restrictions start automatically on April 15 each year if no stage is in force. Under Stage 1, water lawns only on even-numbered days at even street addresses and odd-numbered days at odd addresses. Stage 2 bans lawn watering. Check with the Town for the current stage.

Key facts

When restrictions applyStage 1 restrictions start automatically on April 15 each year if no stage is in force. The Town can declare Stage 1 or Stage 2 by public announcement. No stage stays in force after October 31 unless the Town declares one.Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, s. 4.3, 4.6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
on April 15th of any year, Stage 1
No Restriction Stage remains in force after October 31st of any year
Sprinkling scheduleStage 1: lawns may be watered only on even-numbered days at even civic addresses and odd-numbered days at odd addresses (residential premises). No hours are set. Stage 2: no lawn watering.Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, Schedule A, ss. 1.1, 3.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Water Lawns, except:
For Residential premises with even numbered civic addresses, on even
when Stage 2 Restrictions are in force, it is
Allowed at any timeStage 1: flower and vegetable gardens, shrubs and trees may be watered; drip irrigation is not 'watering'. Stage 2: gardens, planters, shrubs and trees only by hand with a shut-off hose, not sprinklers or soaker hoses.Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, Schedule A, ss. 2.2(f), 3.1(c); s. 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Flower gardens, vegetable gardens, shrubs or trees.
unless such watering is carried out by hand with a hose equipped with an Automatic
to lands or plants but does not include the method known as
New lawnsNew lawns (newly placed sod, turf or grass seed) are exempt from both Stage 1 and Stage 2 restrictions.Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, s. 3 definitions; Sched. A s. 2.2(g) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
means the following are exempt from Stage
New lawn installations.
"New Lawn" means an installed Lawn either by newly placed sod, turf or
FineBylaw notice: contravening the water restrictions (s. 5.2) $400, with $200 early and $500 late shown; s. 8.1 describes the columns differently, so confirm with the Town.Sources differ: Amounts are from the Schedule A table of Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011 (adopted Aug. 25, 2026). The table headings read Penalty / Early Payment (within 14 days) / Late Payment (after 28 days), but s. 8.1 of the same bylaw says the Column 3 amount is payable within 14 days, Column 4 between 14 and 28 days and Column 5 after 28 days, so which figure is the 'full' amount is unclear; confirm with the Town. No Municipal Ticket Information bylaw was found in the bylaw library.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Schedule A, Water Restriction table; Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, s. 5.6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Contravene water provision 5.2 400.00 200.00 500.00 NO
amount set out in Column 3 of "Schedule A"; or
Each offence, under summary
$5000.00 and not less than $100.00
BylawBylaw No. 1811 - Water Restriction BylawWater Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Bylaw No. 1811 - Water
Restriction Bylaw

How it works

The Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811 sets two stages. Stage 1 starts automatically on April 15 each year if no stage is in force. The Town can declare Stage 1 or Stage 2 by public announcement. No stage stays in force after October 31 unless the Town declares one. To find the current stage, call the Town at 250-847-1600.

Good to know

  • Stage 1: lawns may be watered only on even-numbered days at even civic addresses and odd-numbered days at odd addresses (residential premises). No hours are set. Flower and vegetable gardens, shrubs and trees may be watered; drip irrigation is not "watering".
  • Stage 2: no lawn watering. Gardens, planters, shrubs and trees only by hand with a shut-off hose, not sprinklers or soaker hoses.
  • New lawns (newly placed sod, turf or grass seed) are exempt from both stages.
  • Fine: contravening the restrictions is a $400 bylaw notice. The early and late amounts and their timing should be confirmed with the Town.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Telkwa · Houston · New Hazelton · Hazelton · Terrace · Burns Lake

Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Water Restriction Bylaw No. 1811, Town of Smithers (read 2026-11-06)
  2. Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2011, Town of Smithers (read 2026-11-06)
  3. Contact Us, Town of Smithers (read 2026-11-06)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.