Guelph residents now have clearer rules for outdoor water use after city council adopted an updated bylaw on June 23 that simplifies watering restrictions. The new Outside Water Use Bylaw, which took effect June 29, replaces three previous restriction levels with just two—Level 1 Standard and Level 2 Elevated—making it easier for households to know when and how they can water lawns and gardens.
The change affects every home that uses water outdoors. Under Level 1, which is the default during the watering season from April 1 to October 31, residents can water lawns for no more than four hours a day—using any combination of the permitted windows from midnight to 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to midnight—on specific dates tied to their address. Homes with odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered calendar dates, and even-numbered addresses on even dates. This odd/even system isn’t new, but the bylaw now spells out the time windows more clearly and removes a third tier of restrictions that often caused confusion.
“This updated bylaw refines and simplifies the Outside Water Use Program, making it easier for the community to understand and follow,” said a release from the city. “With the new bylaw in place, we’ve shifted from three outside watering restriction levels down to just two levels.”
When dry conditions hit, the city can move to Level 2 Elevated restrictions. At that stage, lawn watering is banned completely. Ornamental gardens can still be watered under the same odd/even and four-hour rules, but vegetable gardens, trees, and shrubs remain unrestricted anytime. Level 2 kicks in when rainfall drops below 60 per cent of the historical average over one or three months, when two weeks pass without rain, when streamflow in the Eramosa River falls below minimum levels, or when peak weekly water production reaches 75 per cent of system capacity.
Guelph is the largest Canadian municipality that relies almost entirely on groundwater. The city operates 21 wells and uses the Eramosa River to recharge supplies. The simplified bylaw is part of a push to manage peak summer demand and protect that finite resource as the city prepares for growth. By 2051, water demand could outstrip current system capacity, so the municipality is already exploring new groundwater sources.
City bylaw officers actively enforce the rules. Under the updated bylaw, they can issue fines up to $350 or court summons for infractions. More details are available on the City of Guelph website.
