{"title":"Vancouver watering restrictions","question":"Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Vancouver?","slug":"water-restrictions","place":{"path":"ca/bc/vancouver","name":"Vancouver","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"water-roads-and-snow","name":"Water, sewer, roads and snow"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Vancouver","url":"https://vancouver.ca"},"short_answer":"Vancouver has seasonal watering restrictions under Metro Vancouver’s plan. Check the current stage for lawn sprinkling. Hoses used for watering or washing require an automatic shut-off device year-round.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"garbage-collection","title":"Vancouver garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/garbage-collection/"},{"slug":"yard-waste","title":"Vancouver yard waste collection and drop-off","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/yard-waste/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-westminster","name":"New Westminster","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/water-restrictions/"},{"place":"ca/bc/delta","name":"Delta","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/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":"Vancouver has seasonal watering restrictions under Metro Vancouver’s plan.","short":"Seasonal, under Metro Vancouver's plan","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/understanding-watering-restrictions.aspx","title":"Water restrictions explained","section":"Understanding watering restrictions","quotes":["Seasonal water restrictions are in place each year, regardless of weather, and usually begin at Stage 1.","Following these restrictions helps conserve drinking water when demand is high. Water restrictions are part of the regional Drinking Water Conservation Plan External website, opens in new tab set by Metro Vancouver."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"schedule":{"label":"Sprinkling schedule","value":"Stage 1 residential lawns: Saturday for even addresses and Sunday for odd addresses. Automatic watering is 5–7 a.m., manual watering 6–9 a.m. Non-residential lawns: Monday for even addresses, Tuesday for odd addresses, automatic 4–6 a.m. or manual 6–9 a.m.","short":"Stage 1: even Sat, odd Sun; 5-7 a.m. auto, 6-9 a.m. manual","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/watering-restrictions-start-may-1.aspx","title":"Stage 1 lawn watering schedule, City of Vancouver","section":"Permitted watering times, Stage 1 residential and non-residential lawns","quotes":["### Stage 1 Residential lawn watering allowed: * Even-numbered addresses: Saturdays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am. * Odd-numbered addresses: Sundays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am.","### Stage 1 Non-residential lawn watering allowed: * Even-numbered addresses: Mondays — automatic watering between 4am and 6am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am. * Odd-numbered addresses: Tuesdays — automatic watering between 4am and 6am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"exempt_watering":{"label":"Allowed at any time","value":"Under Stage 1, residential trees, shrubs and flowers may be watered by sprinkler any day from 5 to 9 a.m., or any time by hand or drip irrigation. At non-residential addresses, the sprinkler window is 4 to 9 a.m.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/watering-restrictions-start-may-1.aspx","title":"Stage 1 lawn watering schedule, City of Vancouver","section":"Stage 1, trees, shrubs and flowers","quotes":["### Stage 1 Residential lawn watering allowed: * Even-numbered addresses: Saturdays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am. * Odd-numbered addresses: Sundays — automatic watering between 5am and 7am, and manual watering between 6am and 9am. * Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 5am and 9am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation.","* Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered with a sprinkler any day between 4am and 9am, or any time by hand or using drip irrigation."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"new_lawns":{"label":"New lawns","value":"Apply to the City Engineer for a water-use permit for a newly seeded or sodded lawn. The application requires the prescribed form and fee. A permit may cover up to 21 consecutive days.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/consolidated/12086.pdf","title":"Drinking Water Conservation By-law No. 12086 (PDF)","section":"Part 3, sections 3.1–3.3","quotes":["Application for water use permit 3.1 A person may apply to the City Engineer for a water use permit for: (a) a new lawn or an over-seeded playing field; or (b) a lawn that is being treated for pest infestations using nematodes. Permit application form 3.2 The permit application must be in the form prescribed by the City Engineer and accompanied by the requisite fee set out in Schedule A to this by-law. Permit time limits 3.3 The City Engineer may issue a water use permit for a specific address or location, except that: (a) a water use permit must be for no more than 21 consecutive days; (b) an extension of a water use permit must be for no more than 21 additional consecutive days; and"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"The Stage 1 residential lawn-watering notice is $250. Payment within 14 days of receipt or presumed receipt reduces it to $125. The $125 surcharge applies more than 21 days after the penalty becomes due, bringing the total to $375.","short":"Notice $250 ($125 if paid in 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/10201c.pdf","title":"By-law Notice Enforcement By-law No. 10201 (PDF)","section":"Section 4 and Schedule A, Drinking Water Conservation section 7.2(a)","quotes":["4. The penalty for a contravention referred to in section 3 is: (a) subject to paragraphs (b) and (c), the penalty amount set out in column A1 of Schedule “A”; (b) if payment is received by the city within 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the by-law notice, the penalty set out in column A1 is reduced by the discount amount set out in column A2 of Schedule “A”; or (c) if payment is received by the city more than 21 days after the penalty set out in column A1 becomes due and payable under the Act, the penalty set out in column A1 is increased by the surcharge set out in column A3 of Schedule “A”.","By-law Section Description A1 Penalty A2 Discount A3 Surcharge","Drinking Water Conservation By-law No. 12086 6.2 Wasting water 250 125 125 7.2(a)(i)(A) Automatic watering of residential lawn at even\u0002numbered addresses outside permitted hours Stage 1 250 125 125 7.2(a)(i)(B) Manual watering of residential lawn at even-numbered addresses outside permitted hours Stage 1 250 125 125 7.2(a)(ii)(A) Automatic watering of residential lawn at odd\u0002numbered addresses outside permitted hours Stage 1 250 125 125 7.2(a)(ii)(B) Manual watering of residential lawn at odd-numbered addresses outside permitted hours Stage 1 250 125 125"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Water Works By-law No. 4848 and Drinking Water Conservation By-law No. 12086 regulate hose shut-off devices.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/understanding-watering-restrictions.aspx","title":"Water restrictions explained","section":"Hoses must have automatic shut-off device year round","quotes":["Under the Water Works By-law 4848 PDF file (1.6 MB) and Drinking Water Conservation By-law 12086 PDF file (99 KB), automatic shut-off devices are required on hoses year round for all watering and washing activities, regardless of the current level of water restrictions."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nLook up the restriction for the water system serving the address. The type of planting and method of watering matter too. A lawn sprinkler, a hand-held hose used on shrubs and a newly planted lawn can have different rules. Stage 1 residential lawns: Saturday for even addresses and Sunday for odd addresses. Automatic watering is 5–7 a.m., manual watering 6–9 a.m. Non-residential lawns: Monday for even addresses, Tuesday for odd addresses, automatic 4–6 a.m. or manual 6–9 a.m.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the current local instructions in [Water restrictions explained](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/understanding-watering-restrictions.aspx). Identify the current stage, the property address and whether the watering is automatic or manual. Use the schedule for that combination.\n2. Check the permitted day and time before programming a controller. If there is a temporary restriction, read the notice for its dates and the uses it covers.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Under Stage 1, residential trees, shrubs and flowers may be watered by sprinkler any day from 5 to 9 a.m., or any time by hand or drip irrigation. At non-residential addresses, the sprinkler window is 4 to 9 a.m.\n- Apply to the City Engineer for a water-use permit for a newly seeded or sodded lawn. The application requires the prescribed form and fee. A permit may cover up to 21 consecutive days.\n- The Stage 1 residential lawn-watering notice is $250. Payment within 14 days of receipt or presumed receipt reduces it to $125. The $125 surcharge applies more than 21 days after the penalty becomes due, bringing the total to $375.\n- For a new lawn or another special circumstance, check the conditions before watering outside the ordinary schedule. Keep any approved permit with the irrigation schedule.\n- Read the applicable provisions in [Drinking Water Conservation By-law No. 12086 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/consolidated/12086.pdf) and [By-law Notice Enforcement By-law No. 10201 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/10201c.pdf).","sources":[{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/understanding-watering-restrictions.aspx","title":"Water restrictions explained","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/watering-restrictions-start-may-1.aspx","title":"Stage 1 lawn watering schedule, City of Vancouver","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/consolidated/12086.pdf","title":"Drinking Water Conservation By-law No. 12086 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/10201c.pdf","title":"By-law Notice Enforcement By-law No. 10201 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","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/vancouver/water-restrictions/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/water-restrictions.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/water-restrictions.json"}}