--- title: Williams Lake watering restrictions question: "Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions?" place: Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/williams-lake category: Water, sewer, roads and snow owner: municipal owner_body: City of Williams Lake sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/water-restrictions/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/water-restrictions.json" --- # Williams Lake watering restrictions **Question:** Are there lawn sprinkling or watering restrictions? **Short answer:** In Williams Lake, lawn watering is limited from April 1 to September 30 each year: 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., on even days for even-numbered addresses and odd days for odd- numbered addresses. Automatic systems may water daily 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. The City may add temporary restrictions. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Williams Lake, https://www.williamslake.ca) **Cost:** Bylaw notice $100 for lawn watering at unauthorized times. New-lawn watering permit $25 (single- family home or duplex) or $150 (apartments, commercial, industrial or institutional). **How long:** Restrictions apply every year from April 1 to September 30. **Where:** - Phone: City Hall, 250-392-2311 ## Key facts - **When restrictions apply:** Every year from April 1 to September 30, landscape irrigation and outdoor cleaning are allowed only as the bylaw permits. The Director of Municipal Services may announce further temporary restrictions in a water shortage. No current stage is stated. - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.1](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "Between April 1st and September 30th, inclusive, in each year, no person shall carry out," - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.5](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "may by public announcement, in the" … "event of a water shortage, impose further temporary water conservation restrictions" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Sprinkling schedule:** Lawn watering is allowed 12:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on even days for even-numbered addresses and odd days for odd-numbered addresses; both on June 1, August 1 and September 1. Mobile homes in parks water on alternate days by bay number. Automatic systems may water daily 12:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.2(a)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "Lawn watering shall only be permitted during the hours of 12:00 am to 10:00 am" … "and 6:00 pm to 11:59 pm for:" … "properties with even numbered addresses on even numbered days" … "properties with odd numbered addresses on odd numbered days" … "June 1st, August 1st and September 1st" - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.2(b)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "permitted to" … "water daily between the hours of 12:00 am and 4:00 am" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Allowed at any time:** Hand watering of plants at any time with a hose that has a working spring-loaded shut-off nozzle or a hand-held container. The bylaw's definition of 'lawn watering' excludes drip irrigation, hand-held containers and nozzled hand-held hoses. Automatic systems may water daily 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.2(d)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "Persons may, at any time, hand-water plants using a hose with a working spring-" … "loaded shut-off nozzle or a hand-held container" … "but does not include drip irrigation or distribution of water by means of hand" - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.2(c)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "All outdoor hand use of hoses for other than filling swimming pools and/or hot" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **New lawns:** A person with a new lawn (sod or seed) or substantial new landscaping may apply for a 21-day watering permit, renewable once for up to 21 days; one permit and one renewal per property per calendar year. Fee $25 for a single-family home or duplex; $150 for apartments, commercial, industrial or institutional property. - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.3](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "A person who has installed a new lawn, whether by the placement of sod or by seeding," … "Permits issued under Section 7.11.3 of this Bylaw will be issued for a period of" … "21 days" - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11.4](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "A person may not apply for more than one permit and a renewal thereof for the" - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), Schedule J](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "Single Family or Duplex Residential" … "$25.00" … "Apartment Complexes" … "$150.00" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 for lawn watering at unauthorized times ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 late). - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-20](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839) - Official wording: "Parked vehicle on 7.10.6 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 No Highway impeding snow removal Lawn Watering during 7.11 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes unauthorized times" - Source: [Water Conservation, page](https://www.williamslake.ca/274/Water-Conservation) - Official wording: "Council has authorized a minimum fine of $100.00 for infractions of the sprinkling regulations" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (s. 7.11, Sprinkling Regulations) - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.11](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) - Official wording: "removal and storage and upon providing proof of ownership to the contractor. 7.11 Sprinkling Regulations 7.11.1 Between April 1st and September 30th, inclusive, in each year, no person shall carry out," … "GOOD NEIGHBOUR BYLAW NO. 2194, 2014" … "Table of Contents" - Source: [Water Conservation, page](https://www.williamslake.ca/274/Water-Conservation) - Official wording: "Sprinkling Regulations - See Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, Section 7.11" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works Section 7.11 (Sprinkling Regulations) of the [Good Neighbour Bylaw](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) limits outdoor watering every year from April 1 to September 30. The Director of Municipal Services may announce further temporary restrictions in a water shortage. No current stage is stated in the bylaw; check the City's [Water Conservation](https://www.williamslake.ca/274/Water-Conservation) page or call City Hall (250-392-2311) for current notices. ## Lawn watering hours - Allowed 12:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m., on even days for even-numbered addresses and odd days for odd-numbered addresses; any address may water on June 1, August 1 and September 1. - Mobile homes in parks water on alternate days by bay number. - Automatic systems may water daily 12:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. ## What is exempt - Hand watering of plants at any time, with a hose that has a working spring-loaded shut-off nozzle or a hand-held container. The bylaw's definition of lawn watering excludes drip irrigation, hand-held containers and nozzled hand-held hoses. Drip irrigation and food gardens are not specifically mentioned. ## New lawns A person with a new lawn (sod or seed) or substantial new landscaping may apply for a 21-day watering permit, renewable once for up to 21 days; one permit and one renewal per property per calendar year. The fee is $25 for a single-family home or duplex and $150 for apartments, commercial, industrial or institutional property. Display the permit prominently on the property. ## Good to know - Where the fire hazard is rated extreme for three days or more, the Fire Chief may suspend the watering requirements by notice. - Watering at unauthorized times is a $100 bylaw notice ($75 if paid within 14 days; $125 if paid late). ## Official forms and pages - [Water Conservation page](https://www.williamslake.ca/274/Water-Conservation) - [Good Neighbour Bylaw 2194, 2014 (consolidated, PDF); section 7.11 and Schedule J](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) ## The same question elsewhere - [Watering restrictions in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/water-restrictions.md) - [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/water-restrictions.md) - [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/water-restrictions.md) - [Clinton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clinton/water-restrictions.md) - [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/water-restrictions.md) - [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/water-restrictions.md) - [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/water-restrictions.md) ## Sources - [Water Conservation, City of Williams Lake](https://www.williamslake.ca/274/Water-Conservation) (read 2026-11-05) - [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) (read 2026-11-05) - [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-20](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839) (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 City of Williams Lake. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/water-restrictions/_