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Surrey watering restrictions

Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?

Surrey, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

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.

Key facts

When restrictions applyStage 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.Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), s. 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
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,
Sprinkling scheduleStage 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.Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), Schedule 1, ss. 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1; Water Restrictions, intro · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
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;
Water restrictions in Surrey are typically in place from May 1 to October 15 each year.
Allowed at any timeEdible 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.Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), Schedule 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
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;
New lawnsYes, 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.Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), s. 5.1, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.8; Surrey Fee-Setting By-law, 2003, No. 14577, Schedule A, item 11a · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
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.
11a. Special Sprinkling Permit – New $ 40.17 Each permit Lawn
FineBylaw 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.Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A, Part 15; Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508, Schedule 13; Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), s. 6.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
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
1. Unauthorized watering Sched.1 (1.1) $200.00
4. Unauthorized watering Sched.1 (4.1) $300.00
for a first conviction for an offence, of not more than $10,000 and not less than
BylawDrinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026), s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
This By-law may be cited as "Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454".

How it works

Under the Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law 15454, 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.

Watering times

  • 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.
  • 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).
  • Stage 1, flowers, shrubs and trees: sprinklers at homes 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Stages 2 and 3: no lawn watering except with a permit. Stage 4: no lawn watering.

Good to know

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Langley City · White Rock · New Westminster · Port Coquitlam · Township of Langley · Coquitlam

Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Water Restrictions, City of Surrey (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Surrey Drinking Water Conservation Plan By-law, 2004, No. 15454 (consolidated to Bylaw 22022, May 25, 2026) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Surrey Fee-Setting By-law, 2003, No. 14577 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Surrey Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, 2016, No. 18691, Schedule A (read 2026-11-05)
  5. Surrey Municipal Ticket Information Utilization By-law, 1994, No. 12508 (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.