Bowen Island Municipality is seeking public input on the Draft Water Conservation Bylaw No. 695, 2025 and Staff Report that was presented at the Committee of the Whole Meeting held on July 21, 2025.
The purpose of this bylaw is to promote responsible water use within Municipal water systems and provide staff with the authority to enforce compliance with staged water conservation measures during the warmer, drier months of the year.
We invite you to review the draft bylaw and provide feedback before October 31, 2025.
The draft bylaw is intended to:
- Conserve municipally treated water during the summer months.
- Enforce compliance with water conservation stages.
- Penalize unnecessary or wasteful water use e.g., failure to promptly repair a leak.
- Support climate resilience and sustainable water use on Bowen Island.
Highlights of the draft bylaw include:
- Designated Water Conservation Stages 1-4
- The Municipality has four enforceable water restriction stages that become progressively stricter as supply levels drop.
- Stage 11 is automatically in effect from May 1 to October 15 each year. Increased restrictions (Stages 2-4) will be implemented as needed based on consumption levels and system capacity.
- Fines for non-compliance:
| Contravention | 1st Offence | 2nd Offence | 3rd Offence |
| Waste due to broken/deteriorated appliance | $50 | $150 | $250 |
| Waste from running tap/hose unnecessarily | $100 | $250 | $500 |
| Over-watering or misuse of water | $100 | $250 | $500 |
| Using water contrary to Stage 1 restrictions | $100 | $200 | $400 |
| Using water contrary to Stage 2 restrictions | $200 | $300 | $500 |
| Using water contrary to Stage 3 restrictions | $300 | $400 | $500 |
| Using water contrary to Stage 4 restrictions | $500 | $500 | $500 |
- Watering Permit option during Stage 1
- A three-week watering permit is available for newly installed lawns (sod or seed).
- Permits will only be issued during Stage 1 and must be clearly displayed.
Why is this bylaw needed?
- Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of drought conditions.
- Tiered water pricing currently encourages conservation, but it is voluntary.
- The bylaw adds enforceable rules to ensure everyone does their part to protect limited water resources.
- It aligns with Bowen Island’s environmental sustainability goals and builds resilience in the face of growing water demand and environmental pressures.
How you can participate:
- Review the draft bylaw.
- Submit your feedback by October 31, 2025
- Send your comments by email to feedback@bimbc.ca. Please use Water Conservation Bylaw as the subject line.
What happens next?
After the consultation period, all feedback will be reviewed and summarized for Council consideration. Your feedback will help shape the final version of the bylaw prior to adoption.