Lawn sprinkling regulations are in effect from June 1 to September 30.

Residential:

• Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4-9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.
• Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 4-9 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

Non-residential:

• Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 1-6 a.m. Monday and Wednesday
• Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle lawns 1-6 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday
• All non-residential addresses can also sprinkle 4-9 a.m. Friday.

One hour a week is all you really need for a healthy lawn.

Every summer, water use almost doubles (mostly due to outdoor use) while rainfall is at its lowest. On the hottest days, as much as two billion litres of water are used!

Previously, sprinkling was permitted in the mornings and evenings but now is only permitted in the mornings, before 9 am. This is because the demand for water is highest in the evening when most people prepare meals, wash dishes, do laundry, take showers and perform other domestic activities.

By not permitting afternoon or evening sprinkling, this will help flatten the spikes in water consumption and reduce peak demand on the water system.

If businesses and residents continue to conserve water, Metro Vancouver can defer building higher dams, bigger pump stations and larger water mains. Morning-only lawn sprinkling will help minimize additional costs, for both taxpayers and the environment.

What else can you do?

• A healthy lawn only needs to be watered one hour a week, or less if it rains. 
• Work with nature and let your lawn go dormant (brown) over the summer. It’ll ‘green up’ again when it starts raining in the fall. 
• Leave grass clippings on your lawn. They’ll help trap moisture to reduce evaporation and break down to feed your lawn naturally. 
• Plant your new lawn in the spring or fall. This will cut the amount of time you spend watering. 
• Or, think about replacing your lawn with ornamental grasses and other drought-resistant plants that require little or no watering.
  

Exemptions

• Newly-planted lawns are exempt with the purchase of a special permit from your municipality. 
• Flower and vegetable gardens, decorative planters, shrubs and trees.
• Pools, spas, water play parks and fountains.
• Washing cars or boats using a spring-loaded shutoff nozzle.
• Sports playing fields and school yards. Lawns at golf courses and turf farms.
• Artificial turf requiring wetting and outdoor tracks requiring hosing for dust control or safety.

Did you know?

One hour of lawn sprinkling uses as much water as 25 toilet flushes, 5 loads of laundry and 5 dishwasher loads COMBINED.