Abbotsford – Due to dry conditions and a hotter summer forecast for the Lower Mainland, the Abbotsford Mission Water and Sewer Commission will implement Stage 2 Water Restrictions for outdoor use starting July 28, 2025. With drought conditions expected to worsen across the province, residents and businesses are encouraged to take proactive steps to help conserve water throughout the summer.
Moving to Stage 2 Water Restrictions, which were updated last year, will help maintain a sustainable and reliable water supply and reduce the risk of water shortages during high-demand periods including droughts and extreme heat.
Stage 2 restrictions include:
- Lawns: Lawn watering is prohibited. No new Lawn Sprinkling Permits will be issued or renewed; existing permits will be honored until they expire.
- Garden, trees and shrubs: Permitted watering methods include micro/drip irrigation, soaker hoses, hand-held containers and hoses with a spring-loaded shut-off device. Automated sprinkler use is restricted to between 5:00 and 9:00 a.m. for residential customers and between 4:00 and 9:00 a.m. for non-residential or combined non-residential customers.
- Driveways, sidewalks and buildings: Residential washing of impermeable surfaces is prohibited unless required for health and safety or if preparing the surface for treatment. In those cases, a hose with an automatic shut-off device must be used.
- Commercial flower and vegetable farms within the Urban Development Area: Limit water use to the minimum necessary.
- School and community sport fields: Sand-based fields may be watered daily, and soil-based fields may be watered on alternate days, in both cases between the hours of 11 p.m. and 8 a.m.
- Water Play Parks: May remain open but must beoperated by user-activated switches.
- Golf Courses: Fairway watering is limited to one day a week.
Vegetable gardens and fruit bearing trees and shrubs are exempt from Stage 2 restrictions.
The AMWSC also encourages residents to follow simple water conservation tips such as taking shorter showers, and turning off the tap while brushing teeth or washing dishes, to help preserve water for essential uses like drinking, cooking and cleaning.
For full details on Stage 2 restrictions and additional practical water conservation tips visit www.ourwatermatters.ca.
