Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Despite sodden spring, Vancouver water restrictions in effect

City staff on water use: 'We are very wasteful'
weather rain water umbrella pedestrian
The rain is coming.

It’s as if spring could not get wetter. Still, the City of Vancouver followed through with its annual water restrictions today in an announcement that may not draw attention out of alarm, as in previous years, but because of the irony.

“We do live in a rainy climate, we acknowledge that,” said Donny Wong, a manager with the city’s water design branch. “But then we are also very wasteful in terms of how much water we use.”

A dry, hot and prolonged summer two years ago put water consumption at the forefront. Despite ample reserves now, such a risk later this year is why the city is urging residents to conserve water early in the season.

Vancouverites turn on the tap more often than most, said Wong.

“On average, we are using 100 litres per person per day more than comparable cities in North America. We can be using this treated resource much more efficiently.”

The Stage 1 watering restrictions apply to lawns but not gardens and come into effect immediately. Fines are $250.
 

Lawn watering days for residential addresses:

  • Even-numbered addresses: 4 to 9 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • Odd-numbered addresses: 4 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays 

Lawn watering days for non-residential addresses:

  • Even-numbered addresses: 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.  Mondays and Wednesdays
  • Odd-numbered addresses: 1 a.m. 6 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays
  • All addresses: 4 to 9 a.m. Fridays


For more details, visit this city website.

Wong, a key representative in the creation of the city’s green operations plan, said three large reservoirs in the North Shore Mountains service Metro Vancouver and, while there has been more rainfall this year along with a larger snowpack, that does not mean residents should take water reserves for granted.

“That is our challenge,” he said after being asked if an announcement about reducing water use will fall on deaf ears. “The single biggest thing we can do as residents […] is to cut our outdoor water use.”

A year ago, Vancouver temperatures hit 15 C decrees 16 times and peaked at 24 C degrees on April 18, according to the Weather Network. This year, however, the daytime high has been lower than average at 12 C degrees and the monthly rainfall 50 millimetres above the long-term average.

Furthermore, flooding throughout the province this year has put Okanagan towns like Kelowna in peril.

March 28 set a single-day record for rainfall while the month itself --- with only 70.5 hours of sunshine compared to the average 138.4 --- was labelled the “gloomiest!” on record by Environment Canada. Exclamation mark is theirs.
 


Wong advised residents to talk to their neighbours if they see them watering their lawns and properties at times or on days outside the specified hours.

“I would encourage you to speak with them first, make sure they are aware,” he said.  “Alternately, contact the city.”