Coquitlam Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 1, 2026
Metro Vancouver Regional District · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 — All Lawn Watering Banned
0
Lawn Days/Week
Lawn: Prohibited every day
Allowed Hours
$500 per infraction
Fine
What is banned
Coquitlam is under the Metro Vancouver Stage 2 ban. All lawn watering is prohibited. Trees, shrubs, and flowers may be watered 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM by sprinkler, or any time by hand or drip irrigation. Vegetable gardens are exempt.
What is still allowed
💧 Hand watering
Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens — any time with a hand-held hose fitted with an automatic shut-off nozzle. Lawn hand watering is also banned.
🌿 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
$500 per infraction
Coquitlam uses an educational approach for enforcement — warning letters and informational resources before fines are issued in most cases. However, under Stage 2, $500 fines can be applied per infraction.
Effective: May 1, 2026🏠 Strata rules
BC strata corporations cannot fine residents or owners for brown or dormant lawns during active regional water restrictions under the BC Strata Property Act.
Why these restrictions exist in Coquitlam
Coquitlam is under Metro Vancouver Stage 2 water restrictions effective May 1, 2026. All lawn watering is banned for residential and non-residential properties. Coquitlam (~150K population) is in the Tri-Cities area alongside Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Notably, the Coquitlam Reservoir — one of Metro Vancouver's three source reservoirs — is located within the city's boundaries, but the watershed is protected and inaccessible to the public. Despite having a major reservoir in its backyard, Coquitlam is subject to the same regional restrictions as all Metro Vancouver members. The city uses an educational approach for enforcement — warning letters and informational resources before fines are issued. However, under Stage 2, $500 fines can be applied per infraction. Trees, shrubs, and flowers: sprinkler 5–9 AM or hand/drip any time. Vegetable gardens: any time. Stage 3 is anticipated in early June 2026. Contact Coquitlam at 604-927-3500 or visit coquitlam.ca for current restrictions.
How to keep your Coquitlam lawn alive
10 tips for Coquitlam homeowners.
Let your Coquitlam lawn go dormant — cool-season grasses survive 4–6 weeks without water by going brown.
Mow at 75–90 mm and leave clippings on the lawn to shade the soil and slow evaporation.
Use the 5–9 AM sprinkler window for trees and shrubs only — Burke Mountain and Eagle Ridge neighbourhoods have steeper slopes that lose moisture faster than valley properties.
Install a rain barrel — captured rainwater is unrestricted under all stages, regardless of the city's proximity to the Coquitlam Reservoir.
Mulch landscape beds with 50–75 mm of bark or compost to retain soil moisture.
Do not fertilise during Stage 2 — wait for September after restrictions have ended.
Vegetable gardens are exempt — water any time, by any method.
Coquitlam's educational enforcement approach means first violations typically receive a warning letter — but $500 fines apply under Stage 2 once warnings have been issued.
Skip aeration during Stage 2 — opening the soil during drought accelerates moisture loss.
Monitor coquitlam.ca/266/Water-Use-Restrictions-Regulations weekly — Stage 3 in early June would ban automatic irrigation for trees and shrubs as well.
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