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STAGE 3 Water restrictions now in effect across Metro Vancouver — June 8 to October 15, 2026. Lawn watering, tree/shrub irrigation, and car washing prohibited. $500 fine per infraction
Restriction stage 3 of 4 — most severe outside Stage 4
Snowpack % of normal 53% South Coast — one of lowest on record
Days until restrictions lift 128 October 15, 2026 (weather permitting)
Avg reservoir vs target 68% Capilano / Seymour / Coquitlam combined

Reservoir levels & watershed inflow

Values show % of seasonal storage target, not % of maximum capacity. Metro Vancouver publishes updates weekly (May–Oct).
→ Official Metro Vancouver data
Real-time streamflow at the three source watersheds feeding Metro Vancouver's reservoirs.
Source: Environment Canada Datamart (Open Govt Licence)
Station data updates every hour. Discharge in cubic metres/second.

Source Watershed Locations

Stage 3 — what's allowed right now

Supply context

128
days until Stage 3
restrictions lift
Oct 15, 2026
Why this year is worse
BC snowpack at spring peak was 53% of the historical normal — meaning the mountain reservoirs that refill through winter and spring held roughly half the water they should. Once that snowpack melts, there's no top-up until fall rains return.
0% 53% of normal (2026) 100% normal
Source: BC River Forecast Centre · South Coast region · April 2026 peak measurement

How to help — highest-impact actions

High impact
Stop all outdoor watering immediately
Lawn watering accounts for over 50% of summer water demand. Letting your lawn go dormant is the single most effective action a household can take. It will recover in fall.
High impact
Fix leaks — a dripping tap wastes 40L/day
A single dripping faucet loses up to 40 litres daily. A running toilet can waste 200L. Both are invisible on your bill until summer tariffs kick in.
High impact
Shower under 5 minutes
Each minute saved is roughly 10 litres. A household of three saving 2 min/shower/day saves ~22,000 litres over the summer restriction period.
Medium impact
Run dishwasher and laundry only full
Full loads use the same water as half loads. Running each appliance once instead of twice per week saves ~50L per cycle.
Medium impact
Water gardens before 7am or after 9pm
Evaporation rates mid-day can be 30% higher. Watering in the early morning or evening means more reaches plant roots and less is lost.
Medium impact
Skip the car wash until October
Home car washing is prohibited under Stage 3. Commercial car washes recycle water and use far less per wash. If safety requires it, use a bucket, not a hose.