Mission Water Restrictions 2026
Published: May 2, 2026
Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) · British Columbia
Restrictions Active - Stage 1 — Seasonal Restrictions (May 1)
1
Day/Week
Early morning hours only (specific times set by FVRD — check mission.ca)
Allowed Hours
$100 first offence; $200+ subsequent offences
Fine
Current restrictions
Residential lawn watering is limited to once per week: even-numbered addresses water on Saturdays, odd-numbered addresses water on Sundays. Watering must occur during designated early morning hours to minimise evaporation and system demand.
What is still allowed
💧 Hand watering
Hand watering with a shut-off nozzle typically has more flexible scheduling than automatic sprinkler use. Check mission.ca for current allowances.
🌿 Drip irrigation & soaker hoses
Permitted any time. Drip is exempt from sprinkler hour windows.
🥬 Vegetable gardens
Watering vegetable gardens by hand or drip is permitted at any time, even during the strictest stages.
🪣 Rain barrels
Rainwater collected on your own property is unrestricted and may be used at any time for any purpose.
Fines & enforcement
$100 first offence; $200+ subsequent offences
First-offence fines start at $100 under district bylaw. Repeat off-schedule watering escalates. Bylaw officers respond to complaints and conduct neighbourhood inspections through summer.
Effective: May 1, 2026🏠 Strata rules
BC strata corporations cannot fine residents or owners for brown or dormant lawns during active regional water restrictions under the BC Strata Property Act.
Why these restrictions exist in Mission
Mission implemented Stage 1 seasonal water restrictions on May 1, 2026, coordinated with Abbotsford under Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) guidance. Residential lawn watering is limited to once per week: even-numbered addresses water on Saturdays, odd-numbered addresses water on Sundays. Watering must occur during designated early morning hours to minimise evaporation and system demand. Mission (~40K population) is located along the Fraser River between Abbotsford and Metro Vancouver. The district draws water from Fraser Valley sources and coordinates conservation efforts with neighbouring communities throughout the region. Trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens typically have different watering allowances from lawn restrictions. Drip irrigation, soaker hoses, and hand watering usually have more flexible scheduling. The restrictions are designed to conserve water resources during peak summer months when outdoor irrigation demand can double municipal consumption. Fraser Valley aquifers and surface water supplies face increasing pressure from population growth and climate variability. Monitor mission.ca and FVRD updates for any stage escalations. Stage 2 would bring more restrictive hours and frequencies; Stage 3 represents emergency drought response measures.
How to keep your Mission lawn alive
10 tips for Mission homeowners.
Identify your assigned day first — even addresses Saturday, odd Sunday. Programme your controller now.
Set sprinklers for the FVRD early-morning window — Mission's clay-rich soils retain moisture better than sandy soils when watered deeply at low evaporation.
Water deeply (25 mm per session) on your assigned day rather than spreading shallow waterings — deep infrequent watering builds drought-tolerant roots.
Mow at 75–90 mm during summer to shade the soil and reduce evapotranspiration.
Hand watering of trees, shrubs, and food crops with a shut-off nozzle is typically permitted outside the lawn schedule — prioritise mature trees and vegetable gardens over turf.
Install a rain barrel — captured rainwater is unrestricted and ideal for any-time watering of ornamentals and food gardens.
Apply 50–75 mm of mulch around shrub beds to retain moisture between weekly waterings.
Mission's Hatzic Valley and Stave Lake area properties on private wells are not subject to district restrictions — but Fraser Valley Regional District municipal supply customers are.
Skip fertiliser through September — wait for autumn rain before resuming.
Monitor mission.ca and FVRD weekly — Stage 2 escalation is possible if Fraser Valley aquifer levels drop further.
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