With the annual implementation of Stage 1 Water Restrictions today, the Abbotsford Mission Water and Sewer Commission (AMWSC) has updated its seasonal watering regulations within new customer categories in an ongoing effort to conserve water and ensure a reliable water supply during peak summer demands.
By taking a more proactive and preventative approach to water conservation, the updated water-use regulations will help to reduce demand and mitigate challenging drought conditions that have become more frequent in the region.
The staged water restrictions have been separated into three customer categories: residential; industrial and commercial; and, institutional (government, schools and parks). The new categories prioritize reductions in discretionary outdoor uses, such as lawn watering, and minimize impacts on businesses that rely on water to higher stages.
Under the updated Stage 1 restrictions, all lawn watering is limited to once per week; either Saturday or Sunday mornings for residences, or Monday or Tuesday mornings for non-residences, as determined by their address. Watering of plants, trees and decorative gardens is permitted daily, before 9 a.m., for all customers. Edible plants are exempt from restrictions under Stages 1 through 3.
The AMWSC strongly encourages all customers to let their lawns go dormant to help further reduce demand, and reminds residents to follow simple year-round water conservation tips such as taking shorter showers and turning off the tap while brushing teeth or washing dishes.
AMWSC staff continually monitor water supplies and lake levels, as well as the provincial drought updates, to determine when further restrictions, and moving to higher stages of restrictions are necessary. Water restrictions in all stages apply to the use of the potable drinking water supply and not to harvested rain water, gray water, or other types of recycled water.
For more information, including a complete list of the updated staged water-use restrictions and schedules, updates and water conservation tips visit www.ourwatermatters.ca.
For more information contact:
Aletta Vanderheyden
Communications and Public Relations Manager
City of Abbotsford
E: media@abbotsford.ca