Watering Regulations

Stage 3 water restrictions in effect June 8

From May 1 to October 15, Metro Vancouver’s Drinking Water Conservation Plan is in effect, to help manage water use during the high-demand months. The plan has four stages, each introducing stricter restrictions as needed.

Stage 3 water restrictions are in effect June 8.

See the detailed list of restrictions here.

Learn more about Metro Vancouver’s reservoir levels and water supply and demand – conditions are shown and updated weekly during the high-demand season, from May through October.

Stage 3 water restrictions

All lawn watering is prohibited.
Trees, shrubs, and gardens need to be watered by hand or drip irrigation. Sprinklers, sprinkler systems, and soaker hoses are not allowed.
Vegetable gardens can be watered any time.
Residential pools and hot tubs cannot be filled or topped up.
Community and strata pools can continue to operate with a permit in accordance with health authorities.
Washing vehicles is prohibited except to clean windows, lights, mirrors, and licence plates for safety. Water-efficient commercial car wash facilities are allowed to operate.
Watering at golf courses and sports fields is reduced, but operators can still water to protect these private and public assets.
Washing impermeable surfaces is prohibited except in limited circumstances.
Water spray parks may operate if they have user-activated switches.

Visit Metro Vancouver website for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. In Stage 3, you can water trees, shrubs, and flowers any time by hand with a water container, hose, or drip irrigation.

Drip irrigation means an irrigation system that delivers water directly to the root zone of the plant at a low flow rate through individual emission points (emitters) using droplets of water and excludes sprinkler irrigation systems, micro-spray systems, misting systems, and soaker hoses.

Soaker hose means a garden hose or pipe with small holes that allow water to seep into the ground, to the roots of plants, discharging water through the entire length of its porous surface. Soaker hoses are not permitted in Stage 3.

Vegetable gardens can be watered at any time.
The District's designated sports fields are maintained and watered as permitted under the Metro Vancouver Drinking Water Conservation Plan. Under stage 3, official playing fields may be watered no more than 5 days in a 7-day period from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m.

Rutledge Field is a field hockey-specific artificial surface that requires periodic watering to remain functional. Water application is necessary to maintain appropriate playing conditions, protect the surface from damage, and support player safety. The District has communicated with user groups to ensure that watering is reduced to the minimum level required to maintain safe and playable conditions. Staff are monitoring usage and will adjust to ensure compliance and consistency with Metro Vancouver regulations.
In Stage 3, washing impermeable surfaces like driveways is prohibited except for health and safety reasons by a commercial cleaner. The Fire Department needs to keep the fire hall apron (driveway) clear of dirt and debris so that when hoses are reloaded onto truck, the hoses and hose couplings are not damaged.

Washing vehicles is prohibited in stage 3, except for spot cleaning for safety (windows, lights, mirrors). Washing fire trucks is required for health and safety to ensure warning devices and markings are visible.

How to Report a Bylaw Violation

Failure to comply with watering regulations may result in fines. Before contacting Bylaw, please be prepared to provide the following information:

Date and time of infraction
Street address or other location information
A detailed description of what you observed
Photo of infraction (optional)
Your name and contact information

To report an infraction of watering restrictions, please contact Bylaw by phone 604-925-7152 (please leave a detailed voicemail) or email [email protected]

Sprinkler Permits

Seasonal lawn sprinkling regulations are in effect from May 1 to October 15 annually. To water lawns outside of permitted regular sprinkling hours, a special lawn sprinkling permit is required.

No sprinkler permits will be issued during Stage 2, 3, and 4 water restrictions.

Lawn sprinkling permits are approved only for newly seeded or turfed lawns, or to allow extra lawn irrigation during nematode application for pest management. Please note, nematode treatment will be most effective if applied in the third and fourth week of July.
- the permit is free
- expires three weeks from the date permit is issued
- receipt for the purchase of nematodes must be presented to Engineering as confirmation
- the permit must be displayed during sprinkling outside of designated watering hours
Contact the Engineering Department to obtain a permit:

[email protected].
604-925-7020

Water is fully metered, which means you pay based on how much water you use. Additional water used for irrigation during nematode application will be accounted for on your quarterly water bill. Permit holders are reminded to conserve water and not to sprinkle unnecessarily.