Lawn Sprinkling Regulations

• Do sprinkling regulations apply to both gardens and lawns?
• Can I wash my car?
• Can my children play in the sprinkler?
• How can I keep my new lawn alive? 
• What if I'm not at home during my allowed watering day?
• Why are parks and playing fields exempt from the regulations?
• Why are there other exemptions, such as nurseries and tree farms?
• How much water do greater Vancouver residents use?
• What is the GVRD's role in sprinkling regulations?
• Why do we have sprinkling regulations when we have so much rain?
• I pay taxes, why can't I sprinkle my lawn whenever I want?
• When would we have once per week sprinkling?
• When would all sprinkling be banned?

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Do sprinkling regulations apply to both gardens and lawns?
No, only lawn sprinkling is affected. If a total sprinkling ban is imposed, then watering of vegetables, flowers and shrubs must be done by hand using containers or a hose with a spring loaded shut off. Drip irrigation systems are the most efficient method of watering clusters of plants and are exempt from sprinkling regulations.
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Can I wash my car?
Yes, unless there is a total sprinkling ban. You must fit your hose with a spring-loaded shut off nozzle.
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Can my children play in the sprinkler?
Yes, during allowable sprinkling times. If you let them play during non-allowable periods, you could be fined.
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How can I keep new lawns alive?
Contact the Engineering and Operations Department at 604.927.5420 or engineering@portcoquitlam.ca for a lawn sprinkling permit that allows sprinkling outside of restricted times for a three-week period. Lawn sprinkling permits cost $30.
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What if I'm not at home during my allowed watering day?
Most lawns need about 25 mm (one inch) of water a week, including rainfall, which can be easily applied on just one of your sprinkling days. The addition of a third sprinkling day on the weekend was intended to provide you the flexibility if the weekday allowance is inconvenient.
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Why are parks and playing fields exempt from the regulations?
These areas are often too large to be effectively irrigated within the allowed sprinkling times. Also, most playing fields are built on a sand base for better drainage. Turf grown on a sand base can die if not watered. The high cost of replacing playing field turf is a poor use of public money.
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Why are there other exemptions, such as nurseries and tree farms?
The intent of the sprinkling regulations is to reduce water use in ways that do not cause serious economic hardship. Those users requiring water as a part of a commercial operation will be expected to conserve as much water as possible without resulting in a loss of business.
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How much water do Metro Vancouver residents use?
Residential water use averages about 410 liters (88 gallons) per person per day. On a hot summer day, outdoor watering of lawns and gardens can cause consumption to double.
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What is Metro Vancouver's role in sprinkling regulations?
Metro Vancouver supplies drinking water to 18 Lower Mainland municipalities, including the City of Port Coquitlam. It co-ordinates regulations to ensure consistency and a sufficient supply of water.
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Why do we have sprinkling regulations when we have so much rain?
Limited storage capacity means much of the rainfall and snowmelt in the Capilano and Seymour watersheds cannot be captured to be used later when dry weather comes. Years ago, this wasn't a problem, but recent population growth in the Lower Mainland has led to increased demand for water.

Metro Vancouver has implemented sprinkling regulations for a number of years to avoid more restrictive measures in the event of drought conditions. Sprinkling regulations also provide equitable lawn watering regulations through out the Lower Mainland and are effective in controlling water demands.
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I pay taxes, why can't I sprinkle my lawn whenever I want?
City water user rates range from $175 to $250 on average depending on the amount of water consumed, some of the lowest rates anywhere. The cost of building facilities so everyone could use all the water they want at any time would increase water rates substantially. Water can be provided as economically as possible if we all use less.
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When would we have once per week sprinkling?
If reservoirs drop to very low levels, sprinkling would be restricted to once per week.
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When would all sprinkling be banned?
A total ban, is required only during prolonged drought when previous restrictions fail to save enough water.
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