Stage 3 water bans start June 8 across Metro Vancouver

Metro Vancouver water restrictions will tighten to Stage 3 on June 8, banning lawn watering and swimming pools as the region braces for a hot, dry summer.

Under Stage 3, residents can water trees, shrubs, and flowers with hand-held containers or drip irrigation—but all sprinklers and soaker hoses are prohibited. Vegetable gardens remain exempt. Pools, hot tubs, and decorative water features cannot be filled or refilled. Car washing moves to commercial facilities; driveway power-washing is banned except in limited cases. Window and mirror washing, plus boat-engine cleaning for safety, are still permitted.

The region skipped directly to Stage 2 restrictions last month. This year's escalating restrictions stem from a confluence of pressures: a low snowpack, summer-like heat already arriving, and ongoing construction on the new Stanley Park Water Supply Tunnel. That tunnel project has kept one of the region's key North Shore water pipes out of service since fall, reducing overall capacity.

Metro Vancouver chairman Mike Hurley emphasized the timing. "When summer-like weather hits, water use can increase by more than 50 per cent," he said. "In order to complete projects like Stanley Park that increase capacity and resilience, we need to bring down our water use so the system is protected while work is underway."

Forecasts predict one of the hottest summers on record for B.C.'s South Coast, with above-normal temperatures and below-average rainfall—making conservation critical to maintain water pressure for fire emergencies and essential services.