Summerland watering restrictions
What are the watering restrictions, and what do the drought stages mean?
Short answer
Summerland's residential watering rules follow four stages in the Water Utilities Bylaw, set by the District's Director and based on whether your house number is odd or even. The stage changes, so check the District's water restrictions page for the one in effect now. Watering in breach is a $50 bylaw notice.
Key facts
| When restrictions apply | Four stages (1 to 4). The Director sets the stage based on the Drought Response Plan and the water utility's capacity; the bylaw gives no fixed dates. Irrigation water is turned on about April 15 and off about September 30. Check the District's water restrictions page for the stage now in effect.Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), ss. 9.1.2, 9.3.3; Residential Water Restrictions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThe Director will determine the applicable stage of response based on indicators outlined in Stage 1 – Three times a week watering The District will commence turning on irrigation water supplies on or about April 15 of each We are currently in Stage 1 Water Restrictions |
|---|---|
| Sprinkling schedule | Stage 1: even house numbers Sunday, Tuesday, Friday; odd Saturday, Monday, Thursday (no time limit). Stage 2: even Sunday and Thursday; odd Saturday and Tuesday; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Stage 3: even Sunday only; odd Saturday only; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Stage 4: no lawn watering. In-ground systems: 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on your days.Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), s. 9.3.2, 9.3.3; Residential Water Restrictions, Stage 1 to 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingResidential underground water systems may only water between 12:00am and 6:00am on Even Numbered – a person may use their sprinkler to water lawns, trees, and shrubs on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday only. Saturday, Monday and Thursday only. 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday and Thursday only. 9:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Tuesday only. Even Numbered – if your house number ends in a 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 |
| Allowed at any time | Stages 1 to 3: micro-irrigation, drip irrigation or a hose with a shut-off nozzle may water trees, shrubs or vegetables on any day, at any time. Stage 4: trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables only by hand with a shut-off hose, a hand-held container, or micro- or drip-irrigation.Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), s. 9.3.3; Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), s. 9.5.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingYou may use micro-irrigation, drip irrigation or a hose with a shut-off nozzle to water trees, f. water trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables except by hand using a hose with a Unless otherwise notified by the Director, the provisions of Water Use Stages 1, 2, and 3 do |
| New lawns | A Special Water Use Permit from the Director lets you irrigate new landscaping outside permitted days, within hours set in the permit; display it where visible from the road. No permits are issued or valid in Stage 4, when watering newly seeded or sodded lawns is banned.Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), s. 9.4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA person may apply to the Director for a Special Water Use Permit which will allow the person to irrigate new landscaping outside of permitted days Special Water Use Permits will not be issued or be valid during Water Use Stage 4. water lawns or boulevards, at any time, including newly seeded or sodded lawns, |
| Fine | Bylaw notice: watering in breach of the stages $50 ($40 within 14 days; $60 after 28 days). Municipal ticket: $150.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2000-375, Schedule A (consolidated to December 9, 2025), Schedule A, Water Utilities Bylaw s. 9.3.3; Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 95-030 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), Schedule 15 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingUnauthorized watering during stages 9.3.3 $ 50.00 40.00 60.00 Unauthorized watering during stages 9.3.3 $150.00 |
| Bylaw | Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw No. 2014-019 (Part 9, Managing Water Use)Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2000-375, Schedule A (consolidated to December 9, 2025); Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025), Part 9 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingWATER UTILITIES AND WATER RATES BYLAW NUMBER 2014-019 Part 9 – Managing Water Use |
How it works
Under the Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (Part 9), the District's Director sets one of four stages (1 to 4) based on the Drought Response Plan and the water utility's capacity. The bylaw gives no fixed dates. Irrigation water is turned on about April 15 and off about September 30. Check the District's water restrictions page for the stage now in effect.
You are "even" if your house number ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, and "odd" if it ends in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9.
| Stage | Even numbers | Odd numbers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun, Tue, Fri (no time limit) | Sat, Mon, Thu (no time limit) |
| 2 | Sun, Thu; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. | Sat, Tue; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. |
| 3 | Sunday only; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. | Saturday only; before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. |
| 4 | No lawn watering | No lawn watering |
In-ground sprinkler systems: 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on your days.
Good to know
- Stages 1 to 3: micro-irrigation, drip irrigation or a hose with a shut-off nozzle may water trees, shrubs or vegetables on any day, at any time.
- Stage 4: trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables only by hand with a shut-off hose, a hand-held container, or micro- or drip-irrigation.
- Stage 3 also bars washing sidewalks or driveways with a hose and limits vehicle washing to a hand-held container or a hose with shut-off.
- Stages 1 to 3 do not apply, unless the Director says otherwise, to nurseries, farms, car washes, certain all-weather playing fields and some commercial uses.
- New lawns: a Special Water Use Permit from the Director lets you irrigate new landscaping outside permitted days, within hours set in the permit. Display it where visible from the road. No permits are issued or valid in Stage 4, when watering newly seeded or sodded lawns is banned.
- Fines: a bylaw notice is $50 ($40 within 14 days; $60 after 28 days); a municipal ticket is $150.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Penticton · Peachland · West Kelowna · Kelowna · Keremeos · Lake Country
Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Residential Water Restrictions, District of Summerland (read 2026-11-05)
- Water Utilities and Water Rates Bylaw 2014-019 (consolidated to December 9, 2025) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2000-375, Schedule A (consolidated to December 9, 2025) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 95-030 (consolidated to December 9, 2025) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
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.