Sprinkling Restrictions
Restrictions for Watering Lawns, Trees, Shrubs, Vegetables & Flowers
STAGE 1 – (May 1 – June 30 and Sept 2 – Oct 1)
| Stage 1 | Irrigation Type | Home Addresses | Days | Times |
| May 1 – June 30 and Sept 2 – Oct 1 | Sprinkler, soaker or weeper hose | Even number | Tues, Thurs & Sat |
5 am – 8 am 7 pm – 10 pm |
| Odd number | Wed, Fri & Sun |
5 am – 8 am 7 pm – 10 pm |
||
| May 1 – June 30 and Sept 2 – Oct 1 | Hand-held hose with automatic shut-off nozzle, micro or drip irrigation** | All addresses | Any day | Any time |
STAGE 2 – (July 1 – Sept 1)
| Stage 2 | Irrigation Type | Home Addresses | Days | Times |
| July 1 – Sept 1 | Sprinkler, soaker or weeper hose | Even number | Tues & Sat |
6 am – 8 am 8 pm – 10 pm |
| Odd number | Wed & Sun |
6 am – 8 am 8 pm – 10 pm |
||
| July 1 – Sept 1 | Hand-held hose with automatic shut-off nozzle, micro or drip irrigation** | All addresses | Any day | Any time |
STAGE 3 – Emergency Called by SRD, Over-Rides Stage 1 & 2
| Stage 3 | Irrigation Type | Home Addresses | Days | Times |
|
Emergency Called by SRD
|
Sprinkler, soaker or weeper hose | NO Sprinkler, soaker or weeper hose at any time | ||
| Emergency Called by SRD | Hand-held hose with automatic shut-off nozzle, micro or drip irrigation** | All addresses | Any day |
6 am – 8 am 8 pm – 10 pm |
Notes:
* Unless an emergency requires a greater restriction.
** Micro and drip irrigation systems must be correctly installed in order to avoid “over-watering” as defined in Bylaw 324 (pg. 14): “Over watering” means to water in a manner that saturates the lawn, boulevard or landscaped area and results to water spreading onto areas beyond them
Exceptions to the Irrigation Bylaw:
Stage 1 – A person may water:
- Newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by any method during installation and and for the following 24 hours.
- Upon issuance of a Lawn Sprinkling Permit, water new sod and seeded lawns within the prescribed hours with a sprinkler or at any time if done with a hand-held hose with automatic shut-off nozzle.
Bylaw 324 – New lawn permits for sprinkler use
Stage 1 & 2 only (no charge). No permits issued during Stage 3
| Sod | Seed | |
| Valid For | 21 days | 49 days |
|
Stage 1 (Sept 2 – June 30) |
5 am – 8 am 7 pm – 10 pm |
|
- Water all-weather playing fields if failure to do so will result in permanent loss of plant material
Any owner or occupier of property who is unable to water their property within the restricted days and times due to a mental or physical incapacity that has been documented by a medical practitioner may water their property every second day for a maximum of four hours.
Nurseries, farms, turf farms or tree farms with meters are exempt from the restrictions
Local governments are exempt from the restrictions
Stage 2 – A person may water:
- Newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by any method during installation and for the following 24 hours.
- Upon issuance of a Lawn Sprinkling Permit, water new sod and seeded lawns within the prescribed hours with a sprinkler or at any time if done with a hand-held hose with automatic shut-off nozzle
Bylaw 324 – New lawn permits for sprinkler use
Stage 1 & 2 only (no charge). No permits issued during Stage 3
| Sod | Seed | |
| Valid For | 21 days | 49 days |
|
Stage 2 (July 1 – Sept 1) |
6 am – 8 am 8 pm – 10 pm |
|
- Water all-weather playing fields if failure to do so will result in permanent loss of plant material
Any owner or occupier of property who is unable to water their property within the restricted days and times due to a mental or physical incapacity (documented by a medical practitioner) may water their property every second day for a maximum of four hours.
Nurseries, farms, turf farms or tree farms with meters are exempt from the restrictions.
Stage 3 – A person may water:
- Newly planted trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables by any method during installation and for the following 24 hours
- Water all-weather playing fields if failure to do so will result in permanent loss of plant material
Other Outdoor Water Uses
Note: Pressure washers are not covered by Bylaw 324, as they use far less water than a hose.
| Activity | Washing vehicles & boats | Washing exterior windows & building surfaces | Filling pools & hot tubs | Filling or operating a decorative fountain |
| Stage 1 & Stage 2 | Hand-held container or hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle; car dealerships or commercial car-washes | Hand-held container or hand-held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle | OK | OK |
| Stage 3 | Only at commercial dealerships or car- washes using less than 205 litres per vehicle or that use 50% re-circulated water. | Only allowed if:
|
No filling or adding water to any:
Filling wading pools of 200 cm diameter or less, and up to 30 cm high is permitted. |
No filling or operating. |
For full details, please see Water Restrictions for Electoral Area D Water Service Area as outlined in Bylaw 324.
For more information, please contact 250.830.6719 or email engineering@srd.ca.