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ALDERGROVE Your Hometown Community Newspaper for over 56 Years
| Thursday, July 23, 2015
FFairies and Knights aat Aldergrove Fair!
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Page 3: Leaks delay new water main here
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Heat, lack of water hard on farming here
‘Crazy About That Mercury’
By KURT LANGMANN Aldergrove Star
KURT LANGMANN PHOTO
Richard Stevenson shines up his pride and joy, a restored 1956 Mercury 800 truck at the Show and Shine at the Aldergrove Fair on Friday. This bruiser of a truck also towed the B.C. Pioneer Truck Society’s 1910 International Auto Wagon to the show. More Fair photos, story inside this issue.
The ongoing hot spell in the Fraser Valley has meant early yields on many crops for farmers here. There have also been water quantity issues for some farmers who depend on groundwater wells for crop irrigation and watering livestock. The early crops have been challenging, especially for fruit growers who have seen strawberry, raspberry and blueberry crops ripen almost simultaneously, instead of staggered through the summer months. This has presented a challenge in that labour in picking and processing the crops has been SVOOJOH ÄšBU PVU JO USZJOH UP keep up. And some farmers have been hit by a double blow in that the extended dry season has drained their wells and other water reserves.
Fortunately it has not been a serious problem for most farmers in the Aldergrove area, at least not yet. Reid and Jenny McDonald retired from farming their 40 acres in Aldergrove but still have an active interest as they lease out 30 acres for berry crops and the other 10 acres for DBĨMF ĉFJS XFMM XIJDI draws from the same aquifer that Langley Township draws from to serve the suburban Aldergrove area, is adequate for their needs. “I don’t water our lawn, it’s all brown but that doesn’t NBĨFS CFDBVTF XF WF IBE good water for irrigating the crops once a week,� said Jenny. “The raspberry crop was early and the blueberries came at the same time, but we’re lucky that the raspberry crop is done and there is only SEE: Page 3
Lawn watering banned as restrictions enforced Aldergrove Star
Lawn sprinkling is being banned and the need to be extremely careful with our precious water resources is becoming more urgent, as the summer’s hot, dry conditions continue. Stage 3 watering restrictions were put into effect by the Greater Vancouver Water District in the Township of Langley and throughout Metro Vancouver at 4 p.m. on July 20, to preserve diminishing water supplies for drinking and emergency use. The restrictions apply to residents in all communities of the Township and will remain in effect until
September 30, unless the next stage of restrictions is deemed necessary by Metro Vancouver or the Township’s General Manager of Engineering. Under Stage 3 water restrictions: r -BXO TQSJOLMJOH JT OPU BMMPXFE previously issued New Lawn Watering Exemption Permits are now void. r (BSEFOT TISVCT USFFT BOE ĚPXer beds may only be watered by hand PS UISPVHI ESJQ JSSJHBUJPO TPBLFS hoses and sprinklers are not permitted. r )PTFT NVTU CF ėĨFE XJUI B spring-loaded shut-off device to hand
water gardens. r 1SFTTVSF XBTIJOH JT POMZ BMMPXFE if the work is performed commercially for reasons of health, safety, or QBJOUJOH QSFQBSBUJPO OP BFTUIFUJD pressure washing is allowed. r %FDPSBUJWF GPVOUBJOT NVTU CF TIVU EPXO BOE UIF Ä—MMJOH PS SFÄ—MMJOH of swimming pools is prohibited. r 7FIJDMF BOE CPBU XBTIJOH JT QSPhibited, except for the hand washing of safety features such as windows, lights, and license plates. Non-compliance is subject to penalties. To report a water restriction violation or to have ques-
tions answered, call the Township’s Engineering Division at 604-5327300. The Township will also be following Stage 3 water restrictions. Treated drinking water will not be used on cemetery lawns, municipal parks, or municipal ornamental lawns and grassed boulevards. Minimum levels of water will be used to keep school yards and sports BOE TBOE CBTFE QMBZJOH ėFMET JO VTFable condition. “Our water is a precious resource that should never be wasted or taken for granted,� said Township of
Langley environmental coordinator Meaghan Norton Daniel. “We are lucky to live in a place where safe, clean water is available at the turn of a tap, but we must be careful with how we use it. “Stage 3 restrictions are enforced during critical periods when rainfall is low and water demand is high, to help protect drinking water and maintain supplies needed for emergency use. Everyone is urged to their do part this summer.� For more detailed information regarding Stage 3 restrictions, visit tol.ca/waterrestrictions/.
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