---
title: Whistler watering restrictions
question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Whistler?"
place: Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/whistler
category: Water, sewer, roads and snow
owner: municipal
owner_body: Resort Municipality of Whistler
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/water-restrictions/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/water-restrictions.json"
---

# Whistler watering restrictions

**Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions in Whistler?

**Short answer:** Yes. Whistler's Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw sets three stages: Stage 1 from November 1 to April 30, Stage 2 from May 1 to October 31, and Stage 3 when the General Manager of Infrastructure Services declares it. Check the Municipality's water conservation page for the current stage.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Resort Municipality of Whistler, https://www.whistler.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice: Stage 1 or 2 breach $200; Stage 3 breach $500; wasting water $100. Municipal ticket schedule: Stage 1 $100; Stage 2 $200; Stage 3 $300; Stage 4 $1,000; wasting water $100.  
**How long:** Stage 3 needs at least one week's notice before enforcement, except in emergencies.  
**Where:**
- Online: Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions (shows the current stage), https://www.whistler.ca/property-housing/water-and-wastewater/water-conservation-stages-and-restrictions/
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-935-8280 (Every day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; bylawservices@whistler.ca)

## Key facts

- **When restrictions apply:** Stage 1: November 1 to April 30. Stage 2: May 1 to October 31. Stage 3: when the General Manager of Infrastructure Services decides; at least one week's notice before enforcement, except in emergencies. Check the Municipality's water conservation page for the current stage.
  - Source: [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018, Schedule A; ss. 5.1, 6.3](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)
  - Official wording: "November 1 through April 30" … "May 1 through October 31" … "Except in emergency circumstances, the Municipality shall provide notice of an impending Stage increase at least one (1) week prior to enforcement commencing."
  - Source: [Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions, Heading](https://www.whistler.ca/property-housing/water-and-wastewater/water-conservation-stages-and-restrictions/)
  - Official wording: "Whistler is in Water Conservation Stage 1."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Sprinkling schedule:** Lawns by hand or simple sprinkler: 7 to 10 a.m. and 8 to 11 p.m., any day in Stage 1 and on neighbourhood days in Stage 2. Automatic in-ground irrigation: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. only, Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday depending on neighbourhood (Schedule B). Stage 3: lawn watering not permitted.
  - Source: [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018, Schedule A; Schedule B](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Any Day Only Between" … "7 AM – 10 AM and" … "by automatic in-ground irrigation between the hours of 10PM and 4 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays:" … "and 4 AM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays:"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Allowed at any time:** Stages 1 and 2: decorative hanging baskets and containers (by hand or drip) and vehicle, boat and bike washing with a shut-off valve, any day, any time. Edible gardens: s. 8.1 exempts them from Stages 1 and 2, but Schedule A limits Stage 2 to 7-10 a.m. and 8-11 p.m. Stage 3: Schedule A says not permitted; the General Manager may exempt (s. 8.2). (Sources differ: Schedule A shows Stage 2 edible-garden watering limited to 7-10 a.m. and 8-11 p.m., while s. 8.1 exempts edible gardens from Stages 1 and 2; the two parts of the bylaw are not consistent.)
  - Source: [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018, Schedule A; ss. 8.1, 8.2](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Edible/ vegetable gardens;" … "Decorative Hanging Baskets/Containers" … "Testing Irrigation Systems for Broken" … "The following are exempt from the Schedule “A”: Outdoor Water Conservation Stages 1 and 2." … "the following activities can be exempted at" … "Vehicles, Boats, Motorized Equipment," … "Edible/vegetable gardens"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **New lawns:** A person with new landscaping (never installed, or more than 50 per cent of it repaired) may apply for a temporary irrigation permit. Stage 1: any time. Stage 2: neighbourhood schedule, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., or per permit (issued at the General Manager's discretion). Stage 3: not permitted; permits are not issued or valid.
  - Source: [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018, s. 7](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A person who has installed new (never been installed or a repair of more than 50 per cent of existing landscaping may) apply to the Municipality for an irrigation permit" … "Permits will be issued at the discretion of the General Manager during Water Conservation Stage 2." … "Permits will not be issued or be valid during Water Conservation Stages 3 or 4." … "10 PM – 4 AM or per"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: use of water contrary to Stage 1 or 2: $200; contrary to Stage 3: $500; wasting water: $100 (same amount whether paid early or late). Municipal ticket schedule: Stage 1 $100; Stage 2 $200; Stage 3 $300; Stage 4 $1,000; wasting water $100.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2174, 2018, Schedule A, Schedule A, Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/CBYL002174.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Use of Water 3.3 200 200 NO" … "Use of Water 3.3 500 500 NO" … "Wasting Water 3.2 100 100 NO"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information System Implementation Bylaw No. 1719, 2005, Schedule B10](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/CBYL001719-2025-09-03-Signed.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Use of water contrary to Stage 1 3.3, 4, 9.1 $100" … "Use of water contrary to Stage 3 3.3, 4, 9.2 $300" … "Use of water contrary to Stage 4 3.3, 4, 9.3 $1000"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018 (as amended by No. 2428, 2024)
  - Source: [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018, Title](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)
  - Official wording: "OUTDOOR POTABLE WATER USAGE BYLAW NO. 2179, 2018"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf), as amended in 2024, sets three conservation stages. Stage 1 runs November 1 to April 30 and Stage 2 runs May 1 to October 31. Stage 3 starts when the General Manager of Infrastructure Services decides, with at least one week's notice before enforcement except in emergencies. To see which stage is in force today, check the Municipality's Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions page.

## Steps

1. Check the current stage on the Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions page before you water.
2. Lawns by hand or simple sprinkler: 7 to 10 a.m. and 8 to 11 p.m., any day in Stage 1 and on your neighbourhood's days in Stage 2. In Stage 3, lawn watering is not permitted.
3. Automatic in-ground irrigation: 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. only, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, depending on your neighbourhood (Schedule B of the bylaw).
4. New landscaping (never installed, or more than 50 per cent repaired) may apply for a temporary irrigation permit, issued at the General Manager's discretion. Stage 1: any time. Stage 2: neighbourhood schedule, 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., or per the permit. Stage 3: not permitted, and permits are not issued or valid.

## Good to know

- Stages 1 and 2: decorative hanging baskets and containers (by hand or drip) and vehicle, boat and bike washing with a shut-off valve are allowed any day, any time.
- The bylaw contradicts itself on edible gardens. Section 8.1 exempts them from Stages 1 and 2, but Schedule A limits Stage 2 watering to 7 to 10 a.m. and 8 to 11 p.m. In Stage 3, Schedule A says not permitted, though the General Manager may exempt (s. 8.2). Confirm with the Municipality.
- The Schedule A table is hard to read for Stage 2 hand watering of lawns, so check the bylaw table and the water page for your neighbourhood.
- Fines: a bylaw notice is $200 for Stage 1 or 2 breaches, $500 for Stage 3 and $100 for wasting water. The municipal ticket schedule lists different amounts (Stage 1 $100, Stage 2 $200, Stage 3 $300, Stage 4 $1,000, wasting water $100) and still shows a Stage 4.

## Official forms and pages

- [Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions, Resort Municipality of Whistler](https://www.whistler.ca/property-housing/water-and-wastewater/water-conservation-stages-and-restrictions/)
- [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018 (PDF)](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Whistler bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md)
- [Pemberton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/pemberton/water-restrictions.md)
- [Squamish](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/water-restrictions.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/water-restrictions.md)
- [Anmore](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/anmore/water-restrictions.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/water-restrictions.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/water-restrictions.md)

## Sources

- [Outdoor Potable Water Usage Bylaw No. 2179, 2018 (PDF)](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/CBYL002179.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Water Conservation Stages and Restrictions, Resort Municipality of Whistler](https://www.whistler.ca/property-housing/water-and-wastewater/water-conservation-stages-and-restrictions/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2174, 2018, Schedule A (PDF)](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/CBYL002174.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Implementation Bylaw No. 1719, 2005 (PDF)](https://www.whistler.ca/wp-content/uploads/CBYL001719-2025-09-03-Signed.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Resort Municipality of Whistler. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/whistler/water-restrictions/_