Source: https://landscapersbc.ca/guides/watering-and-new-lawns

Local planning advice.

# Lower Mainland watering rules and new lawns: check the right authority

Find your local watering authority and learn how to manage new-lawn permits, watering schedules, and establishment handovers in the Lower Mainland.

By Landscapers BC · Reviewed 2026-09-30

![Lawn installation illustration showing fresh sod beside a hose nozzle.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/watering-and-new-lawns-hero.webp)

Verify your watering plan before the new lawn is delivered.

Watering rules depend on your supplier, municipality, current restriction stage, and watering method. Don't assume the schedule you checked at the start of summer will still apply when your lawn is actually being laid. Use this checklist before you book any lawn work, and always double check with your local authority to find the current restriction stage and the allowed watering hours for your specific address.

| Project location | Where to check | What to confirm |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Metro Vancouver water customers | Metro Vancouver and your municipality | Current stage, municipal instructions and watering method. |
| Abbotsford and Mission | Our Water Matters | Local stage, permitted watering and new-lawn conditions. |
| Chilliwack | City of Chilliwack | City schedule, complex address and installation guidance. |
| Bowen Island, Lions Bay and White Rock | Your local water supplier or municipality | The rules for the actual supply; these communities do not receive Metro Vancouver water. |

[Metro Vancouver: current watering restrictions](https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/water-restrictions) [Abbotsford and Mission: water restriction stages](https://www.ourwatermatters.ca/water-shortage-response-plan) [Chilliwack: watering rules and new-lawn timing](https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=1038)

## Identify the water system serving your address

![Illustration of a homeowner checking a phone near a water meter and hose.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-0.webp)

If you're in Metro Vancouver, regional rules apply to the drinking-water system, but you still have to follow the specific instructions from your local municipality. If you're in Abbotsford or Mission, you're following the Our Water Matters programme. Chilliwack manages its own set of restrictions. Also, keep in mind that Bowen Island, Lions Bay, and White Rock aren't part of the Metro Vancouver system, so check with their specific suppliers. A contractor serving the Lower Mainland may work across several watering regimes.

[Metro Vancouver: current watering restrictions](https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/water-restrictions) [Abbotsford and Mission: water restriction stages](https://www.ourwatermatters.ca/water-shortage-response-plan) [Chilliwack: watering rules and new-lawn timing](https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=1038)

## Check the current stage, date, and watering method

![Illustration of a hand checking an irrigation controller next to a calendar.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-1.webp)

Check the current official notice rather than an old controller label or search snippet. You also need to check the rules for lawns, established plantings, and new plantings separately, because automatic and manual watering can have different permitted hours. If the regional rules and municipal rules seem to clash, call your municipality or water supplier to find out which one actually takes precedence before you start watering. Keep the authority link and the date checked in your project notes. Check again when restrictions change.

[Metro Vancouver: current watering restrictions](https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/water-restrictions)

## Use the correct address for a strata property

![Illustration of a gardener pointing toward the entrance of a multi-unit residential building with a shared lawn.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-2.webp)

If you live in a townhouse or apartment in Surrey or Chilliwack, use the main address for the complex when looking up watering schedules, not your individual unit number. You should also give your grounds contractor the complex address and be very clear about who is responsible for managing the shared irrigation. Agree which taps and irrigation controls the contractor manages. Ask them how they plan to communicate any updates regarding private garden areas or resident-controlled hoses. Make sure your maintenance brief includes how to access the controller and a specific contact person for any schedule changes.

[Surrey: current watering restrictions](https://www.surrey.ca/services-payments/water-drainage-sewer/water/water-conservation/water-restrictions) [Chilliwack: watering rules and new-lawn timing](https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=1038)

## Confirm a new-lawn permit before ordering sod

![Illustration of two people reviewing documents next to a pallet of rolled turf.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-3.webp)

In Vancouver, you can't get new-lawn watering exemption permits if the city is in restriction stages 2, 3, or 4. If a permit was already issued before those stages started, it might still be valid until it expires, but that depends on specific City conditions. Before you book your sod delivery, make sure you know who is responsible for checking the permit process and arranging watering to keep the grass alive. Other municipalities have their own sets of requirements too. Just because a contractor tells you new grass needs water doesn't mean a permit or exemption is actually available.

[Vancouver: new-lawn watering permits](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/water-exemption-permits.aspx)

## Choose an installation window with an aftercare plan

![Illustration of a gardener laying fresh sod onto prepared soil.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-4.webp)

Chilliwack recommends installing new lawns or seeding in either the spring or the fall. Use that kind of local advice to help plan your schedule. Ask how things like site access, soil conditions, the weather forecast, and timing might impact how well your plants establish. If you're in Abbotsford or Mission, follow the Our Water Matters rules instead of the Vancouver schedule. Name who will monitor and water the new lawn, and agree on a backup plan if restrictions tighten before installation.

[Chilliwack: watering rules and new-lawn timing](https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=1038) [Abbotsford and Mission: water restriction stages](https://www.ourwatermatters.ca/water-shortage-response-plan)

## Protect summer lawn health without expecting constant green

![Illustration of an established lawn beside mulched shrubs.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-5.webp)

In Metro Vancouver, seasonal advice includes letting your established grass go dormant and keeping your mowing height higher. Just because a lawn turns brown in the summer doesn't mean you should break the watering restrictions. If you have a lawn-care company coming by, have them tell you if an area is actually failing or damaged, or if it's just normal seasonal dormancy, before you pay them for repairs. New and established lawns need different care. A maintenance plan cannot promise a green lawn during a mandatory watering ban.

[Metro Vancouver: seasonal lawn care](https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/seasonal-lawn-care)

## Give irrigation servicing a clear scope

![Illustration of a technician demonstrating irrigation zones beside an outdoor controller.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-6.webp)

When you're hiring for irrigation service, make sure you distinguish between fixing a leak, repairing a broken head, and just adjusting coverage. Ask your technician to show you which zones water the lawn versus the plantings, and get written instructions on how to operate it. You also need to know who is responsible for updating the controller when restrictions change. Even with an automated controller, you still have to follow local rules. Having a rain sensor or a water-saving setting doesn't give you an exemption. Only include winterization and seasonal startup in your agreement if you actually need those specific visits.

## Check before watering to avoid preventable violations

![Illustration of a hose nozzle and notebook beside a newly planted garden.](https://landscapersbc.ca/assets/guides/watering-and-new-lawns-part-7.webp)

Before the first watering, confirm: your property address, your water supplier, the current restriction stage, which watering methods are allowed, the allowed hours, and any permit conditions. Keep all those permit instructions and details in a spot where whoever is running the system can easily find them. If you want to know about potential fines or enforcement, check the official municipality site. Don't just assume the penalties from one city apply to the whole region. If your planned work doesn't line up with the current allowed care plan, call your installer before any materials are delivered.

## Watering handover record

Provide this information to anyone operating the hose or controller. Update the details whenever local restrictions change.

| Record | What to include |
| --- | --- |
| Property and supply | Civic or complex address and your specific water supplier. |
| Current instruction | The authority link, date checked, current stage, permitted days, and allowed watering methods. |
| Lawn establishment | Permit conditions if applicable, installation date, and specific care instructions. |
| Responsibility | The person responsible for operating the system and the person responsible for monitoring and updating the schedule. |

## Enquiry checklist.

- Confirm the water supplier and current restriction stage.
- Check the complex address for shared townhouse or apartment grounds.
- Confirm any new-lawn permit before ordering materials.
- Name the person responsible for controller changes and establishment care.

## Common questions

### How do the checked Stage 1 schedules differ between Metro Vancouver and Chilliwack?

They are different. On September 30, Metro Vancouver Stage 1 rules allowed residential lawn watering on Saturdays for even addresses and Sundays for odd addresses. This included automatic watering from 5–7 am and manual watering from 6–9 am. In Chilliwack, Stage 1 rules listed Wednesday and Saturday for even addresses and Thursday and Sunday for odd addresses, permitted between 5–8 am or 7–10 pm. Always check your local authority and current restrictions before watering. [Metro Vancouver: current watering restrictions](https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/water-restrictions) [Chilliwack: watering rules and new-lawn timing](https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=1038)

### Can I get a new-lawn watering permit in Vancouver during Stage 2?

No, Vancouver doesn't issue new-lawn watering exemption permits during Stages 2, 3, or 4. If you already have a permit that was issued before those stages, check the current City conditions to see if it's still valid. Agree on installation and aftercare before scheduling sod delivery. [Vancouver: new-lawn watering permits](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/water-exemption-permits.aspx)

## Local questions for your project

Explore questions about costs, services and project requirements in your city.

- [Does sod installation in Vancouver include removing the old lawn and setting up watering? →](https://landscapersbc.ca/cities/vancouver#vancouver-sod-preparation)
- [Can a Surrey landscaper install lawn irrigation, or do I need a separate contractor? →](https://landscapersbc.ca/cities/surrey#surrey-irrigation-installer)
- [Do irrigation maintenance packages in Langley include winterization and repairs? →](https://landscapersbc.ca/cities/langley#langley-irrigation-seasonal)
- [Should I use Vancouver’s watering schedule when installing a new lawn in Abbotsford? →](https://landscapersbc.ca/cities/abbotsford#abbotsford-new-sod-water)
- [When should I book sod installation in Chilliwack? →](https://landscapersbc.ca/cities/chilliwack#chilliwack-sod-timing)