New Water Source Project

Planning for Our Future Water Supply

The Abbotsford Mission Water Sewer Commission oversees the regional water system that supplies water to the City of Mission and the City of Abbotsford. As the co-owner and Operator of the regional water system, the City of Abbotsford is in the early stages of developing a New Water Source for our two communities.

Today, our regional water system relies on three main sources: Norrish Creek north-east of Mission, Cannell Lake in Mission, and wells in Abbotsford. The Norrish Creek Watershed is the primary source for the supply of drinking water to the regional water supply system, providing approximately 60 to 70% of the water supply for Abbotsford and Mission annually.

Supporting community growth and development requires that drinking water be reliably available over the long-term, efficiently delivered when and where it is needed, and used wisely. Reliability requires addressing both current and potential future challenges, such as the potential impacts of climate change.

New Water Source Project

The Abbotsford Mission Water Master Plan identifies new vertical wells near the Fraser River as the preferred long-term option for augmenting Abbotsford and Mission’s water supply capacity and resilience, subject to further study. The New Water Source Project is in the initial stages of studying this new water source to improve the regional system’s ability to deliver safe and reliable drinking water to the community at a reasonable cost.

The New Water Source Project technical team recently completed their background research and are now moving into the Stage 2 – Field Investigations phase of the project. The purpose of the field investigations is to help determine whether vertical wells located adjacent to the Fraser River will be able to reliably meet long-term water supply needs and, if so, to identify the optimal number and locations for the wells.

To help establish this, the initial field investigations starting in May 2026 will focus on evaluating subsurface conditions on City-owned property in Matsqui Prairie utilizing data collection methods conducted by field crews on foot and by boat along the Fraser River. During this period, field crews, survey equipment, vehicles and a small survey vessel will be intermittently operating in the Matsqui Prairie area and along the Fraser River. Once this work is complete and findings are reviewed, additional field investigations, including test drilling, will take place over the summer and fall of 2026.

Community Engagement and Feedback

Abbotsford and Mission are growing communities, and we are working to ensure that everyone continues to have safe, reliable drinking water, now and in the future. Community engagement and input is an important part of the New Water Source Project and all feedback from the public will be taken into consideration.

The City of Abbotsford is committed to keeping residents informed and engaged as the project progresses. Visit the project page for the latest updates and sign up under “Follow Project” on the right to receive key information as the discovery phase moves forward through 2026 and 2027.