{"title":"Surrey watering restrictions","question":"Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?","slug":"water-restrictions","place":{"path":"ca/bc/surrey","name":"Surrey","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"water-roads-and-snow","name":"Water, sewer, roads and snow"},"owner":"shared","owner_label":"More than one level of government","owner_body":null,"short_answer":"In the City of Surrey, Stage 1 watering restrictions apply automatically each year from May 1 to October 15. The City Engineer can announce a stricter stage (2, 3 or 4) by public announcement. Under Stage 1, even-numbered homes may water lawns Saturdays and odd-numbered homes Sundays, in set morning hours.","aliases":["lawn watering days surrey","sprinkler restrictions surrey","odd even watering surrey","drinking water conservation plan surrey","watering ban surrey"],"cost":"Bylaw notice $200 at Stage 1, up to $450 at Stage 4. A new lawn sprinkling permit costs $40.17.","how_long":"Stage 1 runs May 1 to October 15 each year. No stage stays in force after October 15 unless announced.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Report a violation","value":"604-591-4340"},{"type":"online","label":"Report a violation online","value":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/667.aspx"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Water Restrictions page, City of Surrey","url":"https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/water-drainage-sewer/water/water-conservation/water-restrictions"},{"title":"Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law 15454 (PDF)","url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf"}],"related":[],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/langley","name":"Langley City","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/white-rock","name":"White Rock","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-coquitlam","name":"Port Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley-township","name":"Township of Langley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coquitlam","name":"Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coquitlam/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":"Stage 1 applies automatically each year from May 1 to October 15. The City Engineer can announce a different stage (2, 3 or 4) by public announcement, and no stage stays in force after October 15 unless announced. Surrey has four stages.","short":"Stage 1: May 1 to October 15; stricter by announcement","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"s. 3.3, 3.4, 3.5","quotes":["Stage 1 Restrictions shall be automatically in effect from May 1 to October 15 in","activates a different Restriction Stage by way of Public Announcement.","No Restriction Stage remains in force after October 15th in each calendar year,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"schedule":{"label":"Sprinkling schedule","value":"Stage 1: even-numbered homes may water lawns Saturdays, odd-numbered homes Sundays: 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. with automatic systems, or 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. by hand. Non-residential: even addresses Mondays, odd Tuesdays (4 a.m. to 6 a.m. automatic; 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. hand). Stages 2 and 3: no lawn watering except with a permit. Stage 4: no lawn watering.","short":"Stage 1: even Sat, odd Sun; no lawn watering Stage 4","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"Schedule 1, ss. 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1","quotes":["at Residential premises with even numbered civic addresses, on Saturdays","at Residential premises with odd numbered civic addresses, on Sundays","Lawns, except with a valid and subsisting Special Sprinkling Permit","Lawns, whether newly planted or otherwise;"]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/water-drainage-sewer/water/water-conservation/water-restrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, City of Surrey","section":"intro","quotes":["Water restrictions in Surrey are typically in place from May 1 to October 15 each year."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"exempt_watering":{"label":"Allowed at any time","value":"Edible plants may be watered at any time at Stages 1 to 3. Flowers, planters, shrubs and trees may be watered at any time by hand-held hose with automatic shut-off, water container or drip irrigation (soaker hoses too at Stages 1 and 2, but not Stage 3). At Stage 4, lawns, flowers, flower gardens and vegetable gardens may not be watered.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"Schedule 1","quotes":["by using a handheld hose with Automatic shut-off device, soaker hose,","(vii) edible plants; (c) Municipal Operations;","flowers or flower gardens, vegetables or vegetable gardens, decorative","pools or spas;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"new_lawns":{"label":"New lawns","value":"Yes, with a Special Sprinkling Permit - New Lawn ($40.17 per permit). It lets you water a new seeded or sodded lawn (and new landscaping) under Stages 1 and 2 at the times set in the permit. Valid 30 days, with one extension to 45 days at most. No new permits are issued at Stage 3, and permits are void at Stage 4. A free permit for nematode pest control also exists.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"s. 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.8","quotes":["Special Sprinkling Permit – New Lawn authorizing the Person to Water the New","shall expire and be of no force or effect 30 days after the","Such an extension shall end on or before 45 days from the date of the issue of","no new Special Sprinkling Permit – New Lawn or Special Sprinkling Permit – Natural","will no longer be valid when Stage 4 Restrictions are in force."]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_14577.pdf","title":"Surrey Fee-Setting By-law, 2003, No. 14577 (PDF)","section":"Schedule A, item 11a","quotes":["11a. Special Sprinkling Permit – New $ 40.17 Each permit Lawn"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice by stage: Stage 1 $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if late); Stage 2 $250 ($200 / $300); Stage 3 $350 ($300 / $400); Stage 4 $450 ($400 / $500). Municipal ticket: $200 (Stage 1), $250 (Stages 2 and 3), $300 (Stage 4). In court: $3,000 to $10,000 for a first conviction.","short":"Notice $200 Stage 1 ($150 if paid in 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/18691","title":"Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A","section":"Part 15","quotes":["15454 Sched. Unauthorized watering $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 Yes","15454 Sched. Unauthorized watering $250.00 $200.00 $300.00 Yes","15454 Sched. Unauthorized watering $350.00 $300.00 $400.00 Yes","15454 Sched. Unauthorized watering $450.00 $400.00 $500.00 Yes"]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_12508.pdf","title":"Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508 (PDF)","section":"Schedule 13","quotes":["1. Unauthorized watering Sched.1 (1.1) $200.00","4. Unauthorized watering Sched.1 (4.1) $300.00"]},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"s. 6.3","quotes":["for a first conviction for an offence, of not more than $10,000 and not less than"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["This By-law may be cited as \"Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454\"."]}],"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\nUnder the [Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law 15454](https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf), Stage 1 applies automatically each year from May 1 to October 15. The City Engineer can announce a different stage (2, 3 or 4) by public announcement. Surrey has four stages. Check the City's Water Restrictions page for the current stage.\n\n## Watering times\n\n- **Stage 1, homes:** even-numbered addresses water lawns on Saturdays, odd-numbered on Sundays: 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. with automatic systems, or 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. by hand.\n- **Stage 1, non-residential:** even addresses Mondays, odd Tuesdays (4 a.m. to 6 a.m. automatic; 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. by hand).\n- **Stage 1, flowers, shrubs and trees:** sprinklers at homes 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.\n- **Stages 2 and 3:** no lawn watering except with a permit. **Stage 4:** no lawn watering.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Edible plants may be watered at any time at Stages 1 to 3. Flowers, planters, shrubs and trees may be watered at any time by hand-held hose with automatic shut-off, water container or drip irrigation (soaker hoses too at Stages 1 and 2, not Stage 3). At Stage 4, lawns, flowers, flower gardens and vegetable gardens may not be watered.\n- New lawn: a Special Sprinkling Permit - New Lawn costs $40.17 and lets you water a new seeded or sodded lawn at Stages 1 and 2 at the times set in the permit. The by-law body says it is valid 30 days, extendable once to 45 days at most. The permit forms in the by-law say 21 days; confirm with the City. No new permits at Stage 3, and permits are void at Stage 4.\n- Bylaw notice by stage: Stage 1 $200 ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if late); Stage 2 $250; Stage 3 $350; Stage 4 $450. Municipal ticket: $200 (Stage 1), $250 (Stages 2 and 3), $300 (Stage 4). In court: $3,000 to $10,000 for a first conviction.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/water-drainage-sewer/water/water-conservation/water-restrictions","title":"Water Restrictions, City of Surrey","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15454.pdf","title":"Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_14577.pdf","title":"Surrey Fee-Setting By-law, 2003, No. 14577 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/city-government/bylaws/18691","title":"Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_12508.pdf","title":"Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/surrey/water-restrictions/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/water-restrictions.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/water-restrictions.json"}}