Drought Response

Water is critical to our city and to our environment, therefore, efforts to conserve water should occur year-round. Reducing the amount of water we use helps protect our ecosystems and reduces the energy used to pump, treat, and distribute water. For information and tips on how to save water year-round, visit the Water Conservation page.

Snowmelt and rainfall contribute to the water supply across British Columbia, however, precipitation is limited in the summer months when the demand for water increases and the supply available decreases. In certain years when the snowpack is limited and rainfall amounts are less than average, drought conditions can occur and water conservation efforts are even more important to protect the water levels in our rivers for fish and aquatic species.

Drought Response

In years with extreme drought conditions, water use restrictions will be enhanced to limit the amount of water we use as a city. These efforts ensure we have sufficient supply for indoor use, for firefighting, and to lessen our impact on ecosystems.

As of October 5, 2023, the City of Kamloops has moved to Drought Level 4 and watering restrictions and enforcement are no longer required.

When water restrictions are in place, the following regulations apply:

Outdoor watering and irrigation is only permitted through handheld spring-loaded nozzles.
Effective September 5, 2023, drip irrigation will be permitted.
Irrigating by a sprinkler or automated irrigation system is not permitted.
Boat and vehicle washing is only permitted at commercial car washes.
Pressure washing for aesthetic purposes is not permitted.

VIDEO CBC News recently spoke with Jason Hwang, Vice President, Salmon, with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, on how severe drought conditions in B.C., and specifically the Kamloops region, could threaten salmon runs and why water conservation is imperative in our area.

Visit the British Columbia Drought Information Portal for up-to-date information on drought conditions. The Province has sent a written request to the largest North Thompson and South Thompson water purveyors mandating a reduction in water consumption by 30-50% based on the following Provincial Drought Level Classification.

Water Restriction FAQs

Wherever possible, City property is watered according to the restrictions, however, many parks and playing fields are too large to be irrigated within the regulated sprinkling times.
Kamloops' larger parks are controlled by a computerized irrigation system that reads weather conditions, calculates evapotranspiration rates, and irrigates when soil moisture indicates the need, rather than by a pre-set schedule. It is estimated that this system has resulted in savings of 30%.
During drought conditions, anytime drought level 4 or higher is reached, the City will take action to reduce our overall irrigation by 25%.
Effective the week of August 14, 2023, the City's irrigation team will be making the following reductions to help reduce city-wide water use:
- 100% reductions in all tot lots, passive areas, and boulevards (eg: Richmond Tot Lot, Kinsmen, Dominion, 8^th Street median, and highway interchanges, with the exception of zones with floral displays).
- 50% reductions in all city-wide parks (eg: Pioneer Park, McDonald Park, Prince Charles Park, Juniper Park) and all dog parks excluding areas with flower displays.
- 50% reductions to cemeteries (excluding Hillside Cemetery, which we will lowered by 30%).
- Sports field with low foot traffic will now be reduced by 50% (eg: Parkcrest, Dallas, Cottonwood).
- Premium fields will be reduced up to 30% and the passive areas will be reduced by 50% (eg: McArthur Island, Tournament Capital Ranch, Charles Anderson Stadium).
Effective the first week of September, after careful consideration and in an effort to save trees, the City's irrigation team will begin twice weekly nightly watering of a selection of trees throughout the city:
NOTE: Sometimes sprinkler heads can become misaligned, broken, or the clocks that control irrigation times can short-out, causing sprinklers to come on when they shouldn't. Please report any problems with City irrigation to the Civic Operations Department at 250-828-3461 or use the MyKamloops app.
The City has a responsibility to provide heat relief options in outdoor locations which include access to waterparks, including Albert McGowan Park, McDonald Park, Prince Charles Park wading pool, Riverside Park, and Westsyde Centennial Park. For that reason, water parks will remain open during Drought Level 5.
NOTE: The last day of operations for all City water parks will be Monday, September 4, 2023 with the exception of Riverside Park, which will remain open 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily until September 17, weather permitting.
Drip irrigation is a controlled watering system that allows low pressure water to drip slowly to the roots of a plant, flower, or tree. Drip watering can either come from above or below the surface of the soil.
This method of irrigation can often save more water than standard sprinkling and is most effective when run in the late evening or early morning to minimize evaporation.
It’s important to remember that not all drip systems are created equal. Each system will require different run times and frequency requirements. Homeowners are encouraged to speak with an irrigation or landscape expert to find the run time and frequency suited to their specific drip system and plants.
A common sign that a drip system is running for too long or too frequently is a visible pool of water forming on the surface of the irrigated area.
At the onset of Drought Level 5 restrictions, drip irrigation was not permitted, but after seeing success in water use reductions, the City will be allowing drip irrigation effective September 5, 2023.
The use of automated irrigation systems may be used to establish and maintain newly planted landscaping required for commercial, multi-family, institutional, or industrial development with active building permits, where the City is currently holding a landscape security deposit in conjunction with development approval and/or where such securities have been released in the last 60 days. The list of exempt properties can be found here.
Please note:
- Where landscaping has not yet been installed, builders are strongly encouraged to wait until water restrictions have been lifted prior to installing new landscaping.
- No exemptions exist for single family, two-family, garden, and carriage suites, etc. (note: Hand watering with spring- loaded nozzles is currently permitted city-wide)
- No exemptions for new development permits and building permits applications. All new applications will carry the condition that there are no exemptions to city-wide water restrictions (ie. properties will not be added to the list)
- Properties not on the list, but believe they meet the exemption requirements should contact Development and Engineering Services at 828-3561.
Further, businesses with private irrigation systems and private water licenses are not controlled by the City of Kamloops and areas like Cinnamon Ridge use reclaimed nutrient-rich water to irrigate.
For more information on that process, visit Kamloops.ca/WasteWater or view the video below:
Kamloops has the most complex water distribution system in Canada, which results in several challenges that limit our ability to follow a specific schedule like many interior communities. Each potable water system has its own intricacies and thus, their own approach to water restrictions. Differences include source water supply (lake vs river vs aquifer), the complexity of the distribution system, and the storage capacity of the distribution system (if any), among others.

How to report sprinkling violations

If you notice someone not following the City’s water use restrictions or allowable sprinkling times, please contact our Community Services Division at 250-828-3409.

Rain Barrels

City of Kamloops

Drought Response