--- title: Victoria watering restrictions question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?" place: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/victoria category: Water, sewer, roads and snow owner: regional owner_body: Capital Regional District sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/water-restrictions/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/victoria/water-restrictions.json" --- # Victoria watering restrictions **Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions? **Short answer:** Yes. Under the Capital Regional District's Water Conservation Bylaw 4099, Stage 1 watering rules apply in Victoria every year from May 1 to September 30. Lawns can be watered two days a week, by street address, in the early morning or evening only. The CRD can bring in stricter stages at any time. **Who handles it:** Regional district (Capital Regional District, https://www.crd.bc.ca) **Cost:** Ticket (CRD Bylaw 1857): $200 for watering a lawn outside the Stage 1 days or times. Court fine of $100 to $10,000 per offence. **How long:** Stage 1 runs May 1 to September 30 every year. Stricter stages take effect 48 hours after notice. **Where:** - Online: CRD Regional Watering Schedule, https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule ## Key facts - **When restrictions apply:** Stage 1 restrictions apply every year from May 1 to September 30. The regional water commission can change that period or bring in a stricter stage at any time of year; stricter stages take effect 48 hours after notice. - Source: [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099), s. 4](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) - Official wording: "The Stage 1 Water Use Restrictions prescribed in Schedule "A" are in effect each year from May 1 to September 30 inclusive" … "take effect 48 hours after the" - Source: [Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Water Conservation Bylaw](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule) - Official wording: "Stage 1 Watering Schedule of the Water Conservation Bylaw No. 4099 for the Regional Water Supply System is in effect May 1 through September 30 every year." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Sprinkling schedule:** May 1 to September 30. Even-numbered addresses: Wednesdays and Saturdays. Odd-numbered addresses: Thursdays and Sundays. Any method 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m.; timed or automatic irrigation systems may also run 12:01 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. For a strata or multi-unit complex use the complex's street number. - Source: [Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Lawn Watering](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule) - Official wording: "Odd Number | Thursdays & Sundays" … "Even Number | Wednesdays & Saturdays" … "Any method: 4-10am or 7-10pm" … "Timed/automatic irrigation systems: 12:01-10 am or 7-10 pm" … "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 with a sprinkler: any day, 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Vehicles and boats can be washed with a container or hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or at commercial washes. Pools, hot tubs and ponds may be filled. Nurseries and farms are exempt. - Source: [Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, Stage 1](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule) - Official wording: "Hand Watering & Micro/Drip Irrigation | Any day, any time" … "Sprinkler | Any day 4-10am or 7-10pm" … "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." … "Nurseries, farms, turf farms and tree farms are exempt from the Water Conservation Bylaw 4099." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **New lawns:** No permit needed. New sod may be watered on installation and for the first 21 days, and newly seeded lawn until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less, between 4 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Then go back to your lawn watering days. - Source: [Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District, New Sod](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." … "for new sod on installation and during the first 21 days after installation, and newly seeded lawns until growth is established or for 49 days after installations, whichever is less." … "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:** Court fine of $100 to $10,000 per offence, each day a separate offence. Ticket (CRD Bylaw 1857): $200 for watering a lawn outside the Stage 1 days or times, wasting water in Stage 1 or watering contrary to a restriction; $100 for playing fields or spray parks; $250 for lawns in Stage 2; $400 in Stage 3. - Source: [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099), s. 10](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) - Official wording: "A person who contravenes this bylaw commits an offence and is liable to a fine not less than $100 and not exceeding $10,000." … "a ticket information pursuant to Bylaw No. 1857" - Source: [CRD Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw 1857, Schedule 26](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/1857-consolidated-capital-regional-district-ticket-information-authorization-bylaw-1990b) - Official wording: "Stage 1 – water lawn contrary to even-numbered" … "Wasting water during Stage 1" … "Stage 3 – water lawn or boulevard" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Capital Regional District Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw No. 4099) - Source: [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099), Title](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) - Official wording: "CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT WATER CONSERVATION" … "BYLAW NO. 1, 2016" - Source: [Report a Bylaw Violation, Watering Restrictions](https://www.victoria.ca/city-government/community-safety-bylaw-services/report-bylaw-violation) - Official wording: "The Capital Regional District regulates water conservation through its Water Conservation Bylaw." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Victoria is served by the CRD Regional Water Supply, and the [Water Conservation Bylaw 4099]() applies in each municipality. Stage 1 restrictions apply every year from May 1 to September 30. The regional water commission can change that period or bring in a stricter stage at any time of year, and a stricter stage takes effect 48 hours after notice. Check the CRD page for the stage in force now. ## Stage 1 schedule 1. Lawns, May 1 to September 30: even-numbered addresses water on Wednesdays and Saturdays; odd-numbered addresses on Thursdays and Sundays. Any method may be used 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Timed or automatic irrigation systems may also run 12:01 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. For a strata or multi-unit complex, use the complex's street number. 2. Established trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables: a sprinkler any day, 4 to 10 a.m. or 7 to 10 p.m. Hand watering and micro or drip irrigation: any day, any time. 3. New sod or seeded lawn: no permit needed. New sod may be watered on installation and for the first 21 days; new seed until growth is established or 49 days, whichever is less, between 4 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Then go back to your lawn watering days. ## Good to know - Vehicles and boats can be washed with a container or a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle, or at commercial washes. Pools, hot tubs and ponds may be filled. Nurseries and farms are exempt. - Hand-held hoses must have an automatic shut-off nozzle. Wasting water, such as running taps or hoses, over-watering, or spray onto neighbouring property, is also banned. - Tickets under CRD Bylaw 1857: $200 for watering a lawn outside the Stage 1 days or times, wasting water in Stage 1, or watering contrary to a restriction; $100 for playing fields or spray parks; $250 for lawns in Stage 2; $400 in Stage 3. - A court can fine $100 to $10,000 per offence, and each day is a separate offence. ## Official forms and pages - [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099) (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) ## The same question elsewhere - [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md) - [Oak Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/oak-bay/water-restrictions.md) - [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/water-restrictions.md) - [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/water-restrictions.md) - [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/water-restrictions.md) - [Colwood](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/water-restrictions.md) - [Langford](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langford/water-restrictions.md) ## Sources - [Regional Watering Schedule, Capital Regional District](https://www.crd.ca/environment/water-conservation/watering-schedule) (read 2026-11-05) - [CRD Water Conservation Bylaw No. 1, 2016 (Bylaw 4099) (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/4099-capital-regional-district-water-conservation-bylaw-no-1-2016) (read 2026-11-05) - [CRD Ticket Information Authorization Bylaw 1857, Schedule 26 (PDF)](https://www.crd.ca/media/file/1857-consolidated-capital-regional-district-ticket-information-authorization-bylaw-1990b) (read 2026-11-05) - [Report a Bylaw Violation, City of Victoria](https://www.victoria.ca/city-government/community-safety-bylaw-services/report-bylaw-violation) (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. 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/victoria/water-restrictions/_