White Rock Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 1, 2026
City of White Rock (Independent — Sunnyside Aquifer) · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 1 — Annual (May 1 – September 30)
1
Day/Week
Automatic sprinklers: 5:00 AM – 7:00 AM
Allowed Hours
Warning first offence; fines under bylaw
Fine
Current restrictions
Residential lawn watering is permitted one day per week: even-numbered addresses on Saturdays, odd-numbered addresses on Sundays. Automatic sprinklers may run from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM. Manual sprinklers are allowed from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Non-residential properties have separate schedules — check the city website.
What is still allowed
💧 Hand watering
Any time 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
Warning first offence; fines under bylaw
First offences typically receive a warning under the City of White Rock Water Conservation Bylaw. Repeat off-schedule watering escalates to fines. Stages 2 through 4 are implemented as needed based on Sunnyside Aquifer levels.
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. White Rock's independent water supply does not change the strata-protection rule.
Why these restrictions exist in White Rock
White Rock is NOT under the Metro Vancouver Stage 2 lawn watering ban. The City of White Rock maintains an independent water supply from the Sunnyside Aquifer and is not connected to Metro Vancouver's regional water system. White Rock's Stage 1 restrictions start automatically on May 1 each year. Residential lawn watering is permitted one day per week: even-numbered addresses on Saturdays, odd-numbered addresses on Sundays. Automatic sprinklers may run from 5:00 AM to 7:00 AM. Manual sprinklers are allowed from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Non-residential properties have slightly different rules — check the city website for commercial schedules. Stages 2 through 4 are implemented as needed based on aquifer levels. As of May 1, 2026, White Rock is at Stage 1 only. White Rock is geographically surrounded by Surrey (which IS under Metro Vancouver Stage 2) — the restriction levels are different because the water sources are different. If you live near the Surrey/White Rock border, confirm which city your property is in to know which rules apply. Visit whiterockcity.ca/296/Water-Conservation or call 604-541-2181 for current stage updates.
How to keep your White Rock lawn alive
10 tips for White Rock homeowners.
Identify your assigned day first — even addresses Saturday, odd Sunday. Programme your controller to match.
Run automatic sprinklers between 5:00 and 7:00 AM only — manual sprinklers may run 6:00 to 9:00 AM.
Hand watering of trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens is permitted any time with a shut-off nozzle.
If you live near the Surrey border, your property's rules depend on which side of the border it sits — White Rock is Stage 1, Surrey is Stage 2.
Mow at 75–90 mm to slow evaporation; White Rock's marine climate is wetter than the Okanagan but still dry through July and August.
Install a rain barrel — captured rainwater is unrestricted at every stage and supplements your one-day-per-week sprinkler allowance.
Stage 2 (2 days/week with stricter rules) and Stages 3–4 can be activated mid-season if Sunnyside Aquifer levels drop — monitor whiterockcity.ca.
White Rock's Sunnyside Aquifer is recharged by precipitation across the Semiahmoo Peninsula — a wetter winter benefits the aquifer the following summer.
Skip fertiliser during summer drought — wait until autumn rain returns.
Mulch landscape beds with 50–75 mm of bark or compost to retain moisture between weekly waterings.
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