Across the capital region, water is essential to daily life, healthy ecosystems and resilient communities. As summers become warmer and drier, how we use water outdoors matters more than ever. That’s why the Capital Regional District (CRD) is encouraging residents to let their lawns Go Golden - a simple, practical approach to outdoor water use that supports conservation, climate resilience and wildfire preparedness.
Going golden means allowing your lawn to go dormant during the dry summer months, while keeping trees, shrubs, and food-producing plants lusher. Dormant grass is not dead, it will green up again when cooler, wetter weather returns. Choosing this approach can significantly reduce outdoor water use.
Why Go Golden?
- Using less treated drinking water outdoors helps safeguard our drinking water infrastructure, reducing strain on the system when demand is highest.
- Reducing lawn watering helps ensure a reliable water supply and infrastructure during peak summer demand and drought conditions.
- Less watering means lower utility bills, reduced irrigation upkeep, and simpler summer yard care.
How to Go Golden
- Stop watering lawns and keep grass short during dry weather. Dormant lawns will bounce back with the fall rains
- Focus watering on trees, shrubs, gardens and food-producing plants
- Water deeply and less often
- Apply mulch to improve soil health and keep moisture in
- Choose drought‑tolerant plants for long‑term water savings
Stay Fire Smart
Going golden during the dry summer months is a practical choice that recognizes that water use and wildfire risk must be considered together. Keeping your grass mowed and not watering aligns with FireSmart principles by focusing water use where it matters most, around homes, trees and shrub beds, rather than across entire lawns. Paired with thoughtfully spaced, drought-tolerant plants, non-combustible mulches, and clear spaces around buildings, a golden landscape becomes a sign of responsible, climate-ready living that is both safe and sustainable. Learn more about how to be FireSmart.
A Regional Effort
By choosing to Go Golden, you can help protect water resources, reduce strain on infrastructure and build a more resilient region, one yard at a time.
Learn more with the links below:
Greater Victoria Water Restrictions
Contest
Send a photo of your golden lawn to our waterwise@crd.bc.ca email address for a chance to win one of five gift cards to a local garden center! See the full contest rules.
