Comox Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 11, 2026
Comox Valley Regional District · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 1 – CVRD Annual (May 1) · Auto-escalates to Stage 2 July 1
3
Days/Week
5:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Allowed Hours
CVRD bylaw – warning then fines
Fine
Current restrictions
Stage 1 (CVRD Comox Valley Water System – Town of Comox shares the same regional schedule as Courtenay): lawn and garden sprinkling permitted 5:00 AM to 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM, three days per week. Even-numbered addresses water Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday; odd-numbered addresses water Wednesday/Friday/Sunday. Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle and drip irrigation are permitted any time. IMPORTANT: every year on July 1 the Comox Valley Water System automatically escalates to Stage 2 (two days per week).
What is still allowed
💧 Hand watering
Any time, any day with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
🌿 Drip irrigation & soaker hoses
Permitted any time. Drip is exempt from sprinkler hour windows.
🥬 Vegetable gardens
Watering vegetable gardens by hand or drip is permitted at any time, even during the strictest stages.
🪣 Rain barrels
Rainwater collected on your own property is unrestricted and may be used at any time for any purpose.
Fines & enforcement
CVRD bylaw – warning then fines
First offences typically receive a warning under the CVRD Water Conservation Bylaw, escalating to fines for repeat offenders. CVRD bylaw officers respond to complaints across the regional service area including Town of Comox.
Effective: May 1, 2026🏠 Strata rules
BC strata corporations cannot fine residents for brown or dormant lawns during active regional water restrictions. A strata bylaw that requires lawn watering in conflict with the CVRD bylaw is unenforceable under the BC Strata Property Act.
Why these restrictions exist in Comox
The Town of Comox is served by the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Comox Valley Water System – the same regional system that serves Courtenay, Royston, Union Bay, and Black Creek-Oyster Bay. Source water is Comox Lake, drawn through BC Hydro Puntledge generating infrastructure. Stage 1 restrictions came into effect May 1, 2026. Every year on July 1, the Comox Valley Water System automatically moves to Stage 2 Water Restrictions (two days per week) regardless of conditions. Local context: 19 Wing Comox (Canadian Forces Base Comox) is adjacent to the Town of Comox and is a major federal water consumer with separate Department of National Defence allocations. The base operates 19 Wing search-and-rescue helicopters and CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft. Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park is a major waterfront tourism anchor; Goose Spit Regional Park (a sandy spit at the entrance to Comox Harbour) is environmentally sensitive coastal landscape. Town of Comox handles municipal distribution while CVRD handles source-water management and treatment. The 2025-26 snowpack across southern BC tracked below normal; Mt. Washington Alpine Resort upstream of Comox Lake is the leading indicator for summer water availability. Stage 3 or Stage 4 escalation during peak summer is realistic given current conditions.
How to keep your Comox lawn alive
11 tips for Comox homeowners.
Town of Comox shares the same regional water system as Courtenay – CVRD bylaw applies identically across the regional service area.
Stage 2 is mathematically certain after July 1 – plan your irrigation around two days per week, not three, for the bulk of summer.
Coastal Comox climate (close to the Strait of Georgia) often gets marine moisture; lawns can survive 4 to 6 weeks of summer dormancy and recover with fall rain.
Mow at 75 to 90 mm and leave clippings to recycle moisture.
Hand watering is unrestricted with a shut-off nozzle – prioritise mature trees and food gardens over turf during heat waves.
Install a rain barrel on a downspout; Comox Valley winter rainfall makes rain barrels highly productive.
Skip assigned watering after any 5 mm or greater rainfall.
Apply 50 to 75 mm of bark or compost mulch around landscape beds.
Convert parkway strips to drought-tolerant native sedges or Microclover blends.
Drip-irrigate vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and ornamental beds – drip is exempt from the day-of-week schedule.
Monitor comox.ca/waterrestrictions and comoxvalleyrd.ca for stage updates.
Comox water restriction FAQs
Town of Comox vs Comox Valley Regional District – what's the difference?
I live in 'Comox' but my water bill comes from Comox Valley RD – same rules as Courtenay?
CFB Comox / 19 Wing – does the base follow town rules?
Get alerts for Comox, British Columbia
We will email you when Comox restrictions change – escalations, new stages, or lifted restrictions.
No spam, ever. Unsubscribe anytime.
Other British Columbia cities
Community Reports & Questions
Share an update, ask a question, or report a change in your local restrictions.
No community reports yet
Be the first to share a local update, ask a question, or report a change in your area's restrictions.