Irrigation industry calls for better water management as Abby-Mission enters Stage 2 restrictions

ABBOTSFORD — An irrigation industry group is asking officials to get better water-efficiency methods as Abbotsford-Mission enters Stage 2 water restrictions in response to rising demand.

Both municipalities implemented new restrictions on July 31 as outdoor watering in the summer, primarily in lawns, created a “significant increase” in local drinking and firefighting water use. 

Vegetable gardens, as well as fruit trees and shrubs, are exempt from the rules, but the guidelines do ask commercial flower and vegetable farms within the Urban Development Area to limit water use to a minimum.

The Irrigation Industry Association of B.C. is now calling on local governments to work with irrigation professionals to use long-term water conservation and restriction strategies, especially in agriculture-heavy areas.

“Water conservation shouldn’t come at the expense of food production,” said IIABC Executive Director Poshak Sachdeva. “With the right irrigation practices and technology, farmers can use water more efficiently while continuing to produce the food British Columbians rely on.”

Sachdeva added that reducing water waste through modern technology and efficient irrigation design can help develop practical policies to protect water resources in the future.

Water restrictions in Abbotsford-Mission typically end at the start of fall, depending on weather, drought, supply and snowpack conditions.

The IIABC, founded in 1979, represents irrigation and water management professionals working across B.C. and promotes best practices in water use for improved recreation, agriculture, cooling and more.