Watering Regulations

The following general outdoor watering regulations apply to all City of West Kelowna properties, except exempt users:

• Sprinkling is not permitted between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Only one outlet or outside tap may be used at one time for sprinkling.
• Using an open pipe or hose for irrigating purposes is prohibited.
• Hand watering of gardens, planters, plants, shrubs and trees, excluding lawns, is permitted on any, except from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., as needed, except during Stage 4.

For properties that have both unit numbers and street numbers, use the following guidelines:

• Units that control of their own irrigation may water based on their unit number.
• Common areas within a complex may water on a permitted day that corresponds with the complex's street number.
• Large properties and strata, which are greater than one acre, may split common area watering between odd and even days for coverage.

Sprinkling is only permitted as follows:

• Even numbered addresses on even calendar days
• Odd numbered addresses on odd calendar days

Automatically controlled sprinkling systems:

• Properties equipped with an automated time clock sprinkler system may only sprinkle between midnight and 6:00 a.m. on the days permitted.

Manually controlled sprinklers:

• Properties equipped with manually controlled sprinkling systems, including those attached to outside taps, may only operate between midnight and 11:00 a.m. or between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on the days permitted.

Sprinkling is only permitted as follows:

• Even numbered addresses on Saturdays and Tuesdays
• Odd numbered addresses on Sundays and Wednesdays

Automatically controlled sprinkling systems:

• Properties equipped with an automated time clock sprinkler system may only sprinkle between midnight and 6:00 a.m. on the days permitted.

Manually controlled sprinklers:

• Properties equipped with only manually controlled sprinkling watering systems, including those attached to outside taps, may only operate between midnight and 11:00 a.m. or between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on the days permitted.

Sprinkling is only permitted as follows:

• Even numbered addresses on Saturdays
• Odd numbered addresses on Sundays

Automatically controlled sprinkling systems:

• Properties equipped with an automated time clock sprinkler system may only sprinkle between midnight and 6:00 a.m. on the day permitted.

Manually controlled sprinklers:

• Properties equipped with only manually controlled sprinkling systems, including those attached to outside taps, may only operate between midnight and 11:00 a.m. or between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on the day permitted.

Also prohibited are:

• Filling or refilling a swimming pool, hot tub, garden pond, or decorative fountain at any time.
• Washing a vehicle, driveway and/or sidewalk.

• No watering is permitted outdoors for any purpose.

Indoor

• Don't leave water running while brushing teeth, doing dishes, shaving, etc.
• Let water cool after cooking and then use in plants.
• Keep a jug of water in the fridge rather than running the water until cold.
• Install low flow appliances and shower heads.
• Replace worn washers/seals.
• Fix leaky faucets, which can waste up to 90 litres of water per day.
• Repair leaking toilets.
• Check your water meter occasionally to ensure it's not detecting any leaks.

Outdoor

• For tips on how to efficiently water your lawn and garden, visit makewaterwork.ca

New lawns and landscaping

New lawns and landscaping may be watered during installation and for a period of 14 consecutive days immediately following installation.

• However, sprinkling is not permitted between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on any day, or during Stage 4.

Exempt users

Outdoor watering regulations do not apply to persons who own, operate, or carry on the following operations or activities that rely on the use of water:

• Agricultural
• Fire use protection
• Sports fields
• Cemeteries
• Spray parks
• Washing exterior building surfaces including windows, prior to the application of a product such as paint, preservative, stucco or preparation of a surface prior to paving or repainting of bricks or if required by law, to comply with health and safety regulations.

Other exemptions may apply at the discretion of the General Manager of Operations. Please contact us for more information.

To report sprinkling/watering violations, such as watering outside permitted times, please call Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement at 778-797-8810.

• Summer hours are 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days per week from May long weekend through September.
• Regular business hours are 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding holidays, for the remainder of the year.

The consumption portion of your water bill is metered.

By conserving, you can reduce your quarterly bill.

If you have questions about your bill, call Utility Billing at 778-797-8850 or log in or register online.

Filling or refilling fountains, hot tubs and pools is not permitted during Stage 3 or Stage 4. 

If possible, cover your hot tub and pool to prevent evaporation. 

Thanks for being FireSmart!

Keeping grass green is not the solution to reduce fire risk, simply keep it shorter at under six centimetres. The less you water the less it will grow.

Water restrictions conserve water reserves ensuring they are available for firefighting, especially wildfires.

In addition to water conservation, West Kelowna Fire Rescue emphasizes other FireSmart and wildfire mitigation measures, because drought, extreme heat and watering restrictions are more common. FireSmart practices that don't rely on additional watering include:

• Creating a non-combustible zone around your home.
• Keeping grass cut short.
• Planting FireSmart trees and drought tolerate plans that require less water. 
• Removing leaves and debris.
• Removing other fuel sources from around your home and throughout your property to reduce wildfire risk. 

Thank you for helping keep our community safe:

• Learn more about FireSmart
• Learn about FireSmart lawn tips

More about FireSmart watering

Water deeply but infrequently to create deeper, stronger roots that helps grass withstand longer periods between watering:

1. Place containers in several areas of each irrigation zone and time how long it takes to collect up to three centimetres.
   1. This is the total amount of watering time that the lawn needs for an entire week.
   2. Reduce the time by half in spring and fall. 
2. Follow local watering regulations. 

• Please, call Bylaw Compliance and Enforcement at 778-797-8810.
• Officers are on duty 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
• Bylaw office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

Three centimetres per week

Most lawn experts recommend a deeper watering of three centimeters, which is about the depth of a tuna can, rather than frequent watering, which creates shallow roots and unhealthier grass.

We recommend xeriscaping with mulches or soils, rather than gravels, to promote cooling environments in place of lawns.

If you plant a new lawn, outdoor watering is permitted up to 14 days after installation; sprinkling is never permitted between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Under Stage 4 regulations, watering of new lawns, landscaping or grass seed is not permitted.

The City of West Kelowna appeals to agricultural properties to find ways to conserve water and greatly appreciates those operators that use sustainable practices such as drip irrigation and smart timers.

Agricultural properties are exempt from residential outdoor watering regulations because they serve the common good, including growing food close to home, providing seeds and plants for household gardens, and raising trees for climate change mitigation. Many supply local, regional, and provincial retailers or support the City’s Urban Re-Leaf program to expand the urban canopy, sustain jobs and support the economy. 

Some operators also reduce demand on the city system by using their own wells or other private sources. 

No golf courses use City of West Kelowna water systems.

They are in a different jurisdiction or have their own water source and licences.

Please refer to Water Regulations Bylaw 0274.

Common good, but common sense

Outdoor watering regulations do not apply to operations or activities that use water for the common good but we ask that everyone, regardless of exemptions, find ways to conserve.

Exempt users that are asked to find ways to conserve are:

• Agriculture for food and beverage production.
• Businesses such a water recycling car washes, window washers, and surface cleaners, especially for health and safety cleanups and to protect jobs and the economy.  
• The City of West Kelowna:
  • We prioritize fire protection and wildfire fighting and public safety.
  • We operate the spray park, which serves as a public cooling centre and recycles water.
  • We water sports fields to prevent surface damage and ensure player safety and to protect significant taxpayer investment in these health, wellness and skills development amenities.
  • We water at the cemetery, as needed, to ensure dignity. 
  • We permit dust control and construction mitigation, as needed.
  • We curtail or suspend public works use, such as watermain flushing, for example, in times of drought, except where required for drinking water quality, public health and operational and infrastructural integrity. 
  • We follow the current outdoor watering regulations for most parks and boulevards unless we have planted new sod, landscaping or trees or the park is high traffic and requires extra care for damage prevention and safety, such as Memorial Park.
  • We have reduced lawns and experimented with xeriscapes in boulevards in more recent projects.
  • We have reduced the number of planters and hanging baskets.
  • We exempt the indoor pool, for mental and physical well-being and skills development, and because it needs far less refiling than an outdoor pool, which would be prone to evaporation. 

No watering should occur in the middle of the day.

If you see irrigation running at a City park or sports field between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., call 778-797-8849 so staff can reset timers, please. Power outages, vandalism and malfunctions may cause timers to reset.

Sports fields are exempt in order to maintain turf, meet player safety standards and protect considerable infrastructure investment in these amenities but should not be watered between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Kids Care Spray Park uses recycled water and serves as a cooling site during extreme heat to supports public health and safety. 

Overuse of water in the semi-arid Okanagan has been well documented for decades and conservation efforts have continued for as long.

A new resident from a more conservation-conscious community may use less water than someone who is unfamiliar with reduction tips. 

New development does not always mean more irrigated yard space. Apartments, condominiums and homes may have smaller yard footprints or significantly more people sharing that footprint. Many newer builds are also designed with more efficient irrigation systems, incorporate xeriscaping or other low-water landscaping that help reduce outdoor water. Indoors, new builds have low flow appliances.

Watering regulations apply to outdoor use and particularly target unrequired heavy use such as the completely unnecessary overwatering of lawns. 

Regulations do not apply to indoor domestic use such as showering, cooking, drinking and so on, but we do encourage conservation around the home as well. 

Outdoor watering regulations are based on snowpack, precipitation drought and water system needs and not the number of people living in our community.