Richmond Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 1, 2026 · Updated:
Metro Vancouver Regional District · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 2 - Lawn Watering Still Banned (in effect from July 16, 2026)
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Lawn Days/Week
Lawn: Prohibited every day
Allowed Hours
Set by Richmond's own bylaw; confirm the amount on the city page
Fine
What is banned
Metro Vancouver returned to Stage 2 on July 16, 2026, down from the Stage 3 that had been in effect since June 8. The downgrade is infrastructure-driven, not rain: the First Narrows Crossing, a key North Shore water supply pipe, is back in service after critical work on the Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel Project. IMPORTANT: all residential and non-residential lawn watering REMAINS BANNED at Stage 2. What Stage 2 restored, and Stage 3 had prohibited: sprinklers may run 5 to 9 a.m. on any day for trees, shrubs and flowers (never lawns); soaker hoses, hand watering and drip are allowed any time; and vegetable gardens may be watered any time. New-lawn and chafer-beetle watering permits are still not issued. Stage 2 holds through October 15, 2026 unless changed. Richmond is under the Metro Vancouver Stage 2 ban. All lawn watering is prohibited for residential and non-residential properties. Trees, shrubs, and flowers may be watered 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM by sprinkler, or any time by hand or drip. Vegetable gardens are exempt from time restrictions.
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
Set by Richmond's own bylaw; confirm the amount on the city page
Metro Vancouver sets the regional stage; Richmond enforces it under its own bylaw and sets its own fine. We have not verified Richmond's specific fine amount, so confirm it on the city's own watering page before assuming a figure.
Effective: July 16, 2026 (returned to Stage 2 from Stage 3)🏠 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 Richmond
Richmond is under Metro Vancouver Stage 2 water restrictions effective May 1, 2026. All lawn watering is banned for residential and non-residential properties. Richmond (~210K population) is an island city in the Fraser River delta, home to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and a major agricultural district. Despite its flat, sea-level geography and proximity to the Fraser River, Richmond relies entirely on Metro Vancouver's mountain reservoir system for treated drinking water - not local river water. Trees, shrubs, and flowers may be watered 5–9 AM by sprinkler or any time by hand/drip. Vegetable gardens are exempt. Richmond's significant farming community should note that agricultural irrigation from private wells or non-Metro Vancouver sources is not subject to these restrictions. Stage 3 is anticipated in early June 2026. Contact Richmond Public Works at 604-276-4000 or visit richmond.ca for current restrictions.
How to keep your Richmond lawn alive
10 tips for Richmond homeowners.
Let your Richmond lawn go dormant - cool-season grasses survive 4–6 weeks without water by going brown.
Richmond's flat, sandy delta soils drain fast - mulch landscape beds heavily (75 mm of bark or compost) to retain moisture.
Mow at 75–90 mm and leave clippings on the lawn to slow evapotranspiration in the marine climate.
Use the 5–9 AM sprinkler window for trees and shrubs only - Steveston and Terra Nova homes with mature ornamental trees should prioritise tree watering.
Install a rain barrel - Richmond's annual rainfall (~1,200 mm) means a single barrel can supply weeks of garden watering during dry summer months.
Vegetable gardens are exempt from time restrictions - Richmond's strong farming culture makes raised-bed conversions a popular Stage 2 response.
If you irrigate from a private well or the Fraser River, those sources are not subject to Metro Vancouver Stage 2 - but Metro Vancouver treated water is.
Switch container plants to drip - drip is exempt from the morning window.
Skip pool top-ups - Stage 2 prohibits filling and topping up swimming pools.
Monitor richmond.ca for current restrictions - Stage 3 in early June would extend the ban to ornamental trees and shrubs.
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