Drinking water quality monitoring program

From source to tap, measures are taken to protect the quality of our drinking water. At the source, Metro Vancouver has a comprehensive system of testing the raw water for quality: disinfecting the water to prevent or remove biological pathogens and monitoring the water quality on its delivery to the City of Vancouver. Once the water reaches the City's borders, it undergoes another series of tests to ensure it is of a top quality for residents to consume. In the City of Vancouver's Water Quality Monitoring Program, drinking water samples are collected four days per week from 52 dedicated sampling stations located in the City. The samples are tested for physical, chemical and microbiological properties to ensure the quality is well within the health and aesthetic requirements of the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and the standards under the British Columbia Drinking Water Protection Act. Water samples are taken to the BC Centre for Disease Control for microbiological testing, providing another level of monitoring through third party assessment.

Drinking water quality reports & results

Public reporting of our water quality results is one important way the City maintains accountability and keeps consumers informed of the overall water quality. Easy access to Vancouver's drinking water quality tests results is available through our interactive water quality map. To view the water quality results posted each month, simply click on the sampling station nearest you on the map.

A full description of the City of Vancouver's Water Quality Monitoring Program and analytical summary of Vancouver's drinking water quality is also available for download in the 2008 Water Quality Annual Report ( pdf - 1,975kb).

How does our water measure up?

"We have some of the best water in the world," Councillor Tim Stevenson.

"I drink tap water exclusively. We're drinking the purest water possible", Dr. John Blatherwick, former chief medical officer for the region.

What the water tests results have shown.

• No fecal coliform or e-coli detected.
• Meet or exceed Canadian Water Quality Guidelines and Provincial standards.
• Periodic turbidity episodes (water cloudiness) have not compromised microbiological quality. Turbidity causing sediment to be eliminated with completion of Seymour/Capilano filtration project in 2009.

Want to know more?

If you want to know more or have any suggestions or concerns about the quality of your water, you can call the Water Quality Hotline or e-mail waterquality@vancouver.ca. Additional information can be obtained from the Metro Vancouver web site: www.gvrd.bc.ca or by phone: 604.451.6010. Health related questions can be directed to the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority at 604.675.3800.

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