Stage 3 water restrictions likely coming to Metro Vancouver in June

Metro Vancouver is warning residents and businesses to prepare for Stage 3 watering restrictions beginning in June, citing record-low snowpack and a forecast for a hotter-than-average summer.

The region's snowpack currently sits at just 23 per cent of historical averages — the lowest heading into summer since the severe 2015 drought year. A dry and warmer-than-normal winter has depleted the watersheds that supply the Lower Mainland, leaving little buffer for the peak-demand months ahead.

Warmer temperatures typically drive a sharp increase in water consumption, mostly from outdoor use. Metro projects water demand could hit over 1.4 billion litres per day starting next month. The regional government plans to give residents one week's notice before moving to Stage 3.

Under Stage 3 restrictions, lawn watering remains banned, and new limits apply to tree and garden watering, pool and hot-tub filling, and vehicle and boat washing. Commercial car washes face tighter rules, and sports-field irrigation becomes more limited.

The earlier-than-usual escalation comes as Metro works to replace the region's main water-supply tunnel through Stanley Park, a 1930s-era structure that's been partially offline since last fall. With one of two key North Shore-to-Vancouver pipes out of service, water pressure could drop if demand surges, potentially affecting firefighting capacity during emergencies.

Residential use accounts for 64 per cent of total water consumption in the region, making household conservation critical. Metro has indicated that monitoring and enforcement of restrictions will also increase as the summer progresses.