---
title: Sooke watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Sooke?"
place: Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sooke
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: regional
owner_body: Capital Regional District
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/water-restrictions.json"
---

# Sooke watering restrictions

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

**Short answer:** In Sooke, the Capital Regional District's (CRD) Water Conservation Bylaw sets Stage 1 watering rules every year from May 1 to September 30. Odd-numbered addresses may water lawns Thursdays and Sundays, even-numbered Wednesdays and Saturdays. The CRD can change dates or bring in a stricter stage.

**Who handles it:** Regional district (Capital Regional District, https://www.crd.ca)  
**Cost:** Fine: $200 (Stage 1 lawn watering on the wrong day or time).  
**How long:** A new stage takes effect 48 hours after notice.  
**Where:**
- Online: Watering schedule, Capital Regional District, https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** Stage 1 is in effect every year from May 1 to September 30 and applies in the District of Sooke. The CRD's Regional Water Supply Commission can change the dates or bring in a stricter stage; a new stage takes effect 48 hours after notice. No stage is stated as current today.
  - Source: [Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099), ss. 1 (Municipality), 2, 4](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016)
  - Official wording: "means the District of Sooke, District of Metchosin, City of Colwood, Town" … "The restrictions and regulations in this bylaw are applicable in each Municipality." … "are in effect each year from May 1 to September 30 inclusive" … "take effect 48 hours after the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Lawns, May 1 to September 30: odd-numbered street addresses Thursdays and Sundays; even-numbered Wednesdays and Saturdays. Any method 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m.; timed or automatic systems 12:01 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Strata complexes use the complex's address number.
  - Source: [Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Lawn Watering](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule)
  - Official wording: "Thursdays & Sundays" … "Wednesdays & Saturdays" … "12:01-10 am or 7-10 pm" … "In the case of a multi-unit commercial or residential complex such as, but not limited to, a townhouse, condominium or other strata-titled property, the address number means the street address that is assigned to the entire complex, and not the individual unit number."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Allowed at any time:** Hand watering and micro or drip irrigation: any day, any time. Established trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by sprinkler: any day, 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Vehicles and boats can be washed with a container or a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Filling pools and hot tubs is allowed in Stage 1.
  - Source: [Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Established trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetable gardens; Vehicle and Boat Washing; Pools](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule)
  - Official wording: "Any day, any time" … "A person may wash their vehicle or boat anytime using a handheld container or a handheld hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle" … "You may use water to fill wading pools, swimming pools, hot tubs, or garden pond during Stage 1 Water Restrictions."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **New lawns:** No permit is needed for new sod or newly seeded lawns. Water between 4 and 10 a.m. and 7 and 10 p.m. on installation and for 21 days for sod; seeded lawns until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. Then go back to your lawn watering days.
  - Source: [Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, New Sod and/or Newly Seeded Lawns](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule)
  - Official wording: "A permit is not required to install new sod and/or newly seeded lawns." … "Once your new lawn is established, please revert to your designated lawn watering days and times."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Ticket under CRD Bylaw No. 1857, Schedule 26: $200 for watering a lawn on the wrong day or time in Stage 1 ($250 in Stage 2), $200 for wasting water in Stage 1, $100 for a playing field or public spray park breach. Court fine: $100 to $10,000.
  - Source: [CRD Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 1857, Schedule 26, Schedule 26 to Bylaw No. 1857](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/1857-consolidated-capital-regional-district-ticket-information-authorization-bylaw-1990b)
  - Official wording: "Wasting water during Stage 1" … "Water contrary to restriction" … "Stage 1 – water lawn contrary to even-numbered"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099). Tickets are issued under CRD Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 1857.
  - Source: [Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099), Title and s. 13](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016)
  - Official wording: "BYLAW NO. 4099" … "Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Sooke's watering rules are the CRD's [Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016). Stage 1 is in effect every year from May 1 to September 30. The CRD's Regional Water Supply Commission can change the dates or bring in a stricter stage, and a new stage takes effect 48 hours after notice. No stage is stated as current today, so check the CRD [watering schedule](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule).

## Good to know

- **Lawns, May 1 to September 30:** odd-numbered street addresses on Thursdays and Sundays; even-numbered on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Any method 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m.; timed or automatic systems 12:01 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Strata complexes use the complex's address number.
- Hand watering and micro or drip irrigation: any day, any time.
- Established trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by sprinkler: any day, 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m.
- New sod or newly seeded lawns need no permit. Water 4 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. on installation and for 21 days for sod; seeded lawns until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less. Then return to your lawn watering days.
- Vehicles and boats can be washed with a container or a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Filling pools and hot tubs is allowed in Stage 1.
- Tickets under [CRD Bylaw No. 1857](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/1857-consolidated-capital-regional-district-ticket-information-authorization-bylaw-1990b), Schedule 26: $200 for watering a lawn on the wrong day or time in Stage 1 ($250 in Stage 2), $200 for wasting water in Stage 1, $100 for a playing field or public spray park breach. A court fine is $100 to $10,000.

## Official forms and pages

- [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099) (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016)

## Related questions

- [Sooke bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Sooke yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/yard-waste.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Metchosin](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/metchosin/water-restrictions.md)
- [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/water-restrictions.md)
- [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/water-restrictions.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/water-restrictions.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/water-restrictions.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099) (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule) (read 2026-11-06)
- [CRD Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw No. 1857, Schedule 26 (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/1857-consolidated-capital-regional-district-ticket-information-authorization-bylaw-1990b) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Capital Regional District. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/water-restrictions/_