Understanding outdoor water restrictions
When are outdoor water restrictions used?
There are times when we may need all Calgarians to temporarily reduce their non-essential outdoor water use, such as when:
- less water is available in the rivers, due to drought
- we’re repairing or upgrading our water treatment infrastructure
- water demand is high due to hot temperatures and is straining the capacity of our water treatment plants
- river water quality is poor, and it takes longer to treat
If we all do our part and follow the restrictions when they’re in place, we can reduce the strain on the river and water treatment plants.
Who needs to follow outdoor water restrictions?
The restrictions apply to all City of Calgary Water Utility customers, including:
-
Residences
-
Businesses and organizations
-
City of Calgary operations
Outdoor water restrictions stages
Outdoor water restrictions will be announced through local news and through The City’s social media channels.
There are four stages of mandatory outdoor water restrictions, based on the severity of the water shortage. The following table explains how and when you can use water outdoors.
| Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sprinklers for lawns, gardens, trees and shrubs. Includes any irrigation system with an automatic shut off |
Yes - 2 hours/week
Watering is allowed between:
|
Yes - 1 hour/week
Watering is allowed between:
|
No |
No |
|
Hoses with spring-loaded spray nozzle to water gardens, trees, and shrubs (lawns excluded) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
No |
|
Hand watering gardens, trees and shrubs (e.g. watering can or bucket) |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
|
Edible food crops |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Conditional
|
Conditional
|
|
Newly planted grass, trees and shrubs
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Conditional Allowed any day/time only by hose with a spring-loaded type nozzle with automatic shut-off or hand-held container (e.g. watering can or bucket). Sprinkler use or any irrigation system with automatic shut off is not permitted. |
No |
|
Testing and auditing irrigation systems |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
No |
|
Washing outdoor building surfaces and windows |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
|
Washing cars outdoors Using water only |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
No |
|
Washing sidewalks, driveways or walkways |
No |
No |
No |
No
|
|
Filling outdoor pools, hot tubs and wading pools |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
No |
|
Filling fountains and other decorative features Excludes bird baths and residential ponds |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Water use for construction or renovation |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No |
Stay informed
Enforcement
Water restrictions are governed and enforced under the Water Utility Bylaw. While we strive to take an education-first approach with Calgarians, it’s important that we all do our part so there are penalties for violations that depend on the stage of water restriction.
Fines can range from $400 for violation during Stage 1 to $3000 for a violation during Stage 4.