Due to continued high water demand and forecasted hot, dry weather, the City is moving to Stage 2 watering restrictions starting Friday, Aug. 4.
Stage 2 watering restrictions are activated by Metro Vancouver to conserve our region’s drinking water during unusually hot and dry conditions. During Stage 2 restrictions, no lawn watering is allowed.
Stage 2 residential watering restrictions:
- All lawn watering is prohibited.
- Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered by hand or using soaker hoses or drip irrigation at any time, or by using a sprinkler between 5 and 9 a.m. any day.
- Vegetable gardens can be watered at any time.
- Aesthetic water features, such as fountains, cannot be filled or topped up.
- Washing impermeable surfaces like driveways and sidewalks is prohibited except in limited circumstances.
Stage 2 non-residential watering restrictions:
- All lawn watering is prohibited.
- Trees, shrubs, and flowers can be watered by hand or using soaker hoses or drip irrigation at any time, or by using a sprinkler between 4 and 9 a.m. any day.
- Vegetable gardens can be watered at any time.
- Aesthetic water features, such as fountains, cannot be filled or topped up.
- Washing impermeable surfaces like driveways and sidewalks is prohibited except in limited circumstances.
These restrictions do not apply to the use of rain water, grey water, any forms of recycled water, or other sources of water outside the regional and municipal drinking water supply system.
The last time Metro Vancouver moved beyond Stage 1 was in 2015, when conditions were relatively dry and there was a low snowpack.
Metro Vancouver Water Conservation Plan
Water restrictions are part of Metro Vancouver's Drinking Water Conservation Plan, a regional policy developed with member jurisdictions and other stakeholders to manage the outdoor use of drinking water during periods of high demand, as well as during water shortages and emergencies.
In 2022, the City updated its Drinking Water Conservation Bylaw, No. 8627, to align with Metro Vancouver’s Drinking Water Conservation Plan.
More Information
Learn more about watering regulations at cnv.org/LawnWatering. For questions about the regulations, please email eng@cnv.org or call 604-983-7333.
For tips on indoor and outdoor water conservation, as well as ideas for how to maintain a healthy lawn, visit Metro Vancouver’s website at welovewater.ca.