Infographic of where a cooling tower, building water treatment, municipal water supply, rainwater harvesting, and decorative fountain are featured near a building

Get a water systems operating permit

Extra vigilance is required around cooling tower operation. As occupancy loads are reduced, cooling towers may only run at short intervals, or not at all. Please ensure your cooling tower is operating in safe manner. Review best practices (879 KB)

To more effectively respond to incidents, mitigate health risks by pathogens (such as Legionella pneumophila), and ensure compliance with updated standards, operating permits help us and health authorities track new and existing:

Cooling towers
Water features
Non-potable water systems and other building water systems

Get the details

Looking for an electrical annual permit? Review the steps and get an electrical annual permit

Ready to get your permit?

Review what systems require an operating permit
Review our guide on how to use the online permit system for operating permits (1 MB)
Register for an online account (If you don't have an account.)
Submit your application

Types of operating permits

For additional information, contact: operatingpermit@vancouver.ca

Rainwater harvesting and other alternative water systems: January 1, 2019
As of January 1, 2019, all new and existing systems must meet the following water quality standards:
- Temperature < 20 °C
- Turbidity < 10 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU)
- E. coli < 100 CFU (colony forming units) per 100 mL or < 100 MPN (most probable number) per 100 mL
What is required

All new and existing systems require:
- An operating permit
- Water quality testing by an accredited laboratory (27 KB)
  - Review suggested sampling guidelines (115 KB)
- Quarterly reporting
- Cross connection control tests
New system requirements

Systems installed after January 1, 2019, must:
- Have an operating permit to get an occupancy permit
- Connect to toilets, urinals, and trap primers
- Use specified purple piping and sizing methodology
- Include inline monitoring, sub-meters, and a sampling port
Exemptions

There are exemptions, such as systems for single-family homes and duplexes.

Review a full list of bylaw requirements (VPBL Division B, section 2.7)
Building water treatment systems: June 3, 2019

As of June 3, 2019, all new and existing building water treatment systems involving potable water require an operating permit.

Exemptions

There are exemptions, such as systems for single-family homes and duplexes.

Review a full list of bylaw requirements (VPBL Division B, article 2.2.10.17)

Review a related bulletin about water treatment devices (198 KB)
Cooling towers: January 1, 2020
As of January 1, 2020, all new and existing cooling towers and evaporative condensers require an operating permit.
- Review a full list of bylaw requirements (34 KB)
- Review the bulletin related to discharge from cooling tower drains (372 KB)
Once through cooling and other single pass systems: January 1, 2020

As of January 1, 2020, all existing once through cooling equipment, non-recirculating liquid ring pumps, and other single pass systems must be disconnected from the City’s water system.

Not sure if your system uses once through cooling? Learn how you can find out in our guide (2 MB).

Exemptions

There are exemptions which require a permit, such as for emergency once through cooling equipment installed before May 2, 2017.

Review a full list of bylaw requirements (VPBL Division B, article 2.2.11.4)

No new single pass systems, including once through cooling equipment, may be installed. Refer to the once through cooling and single pass systems bulletin (843 KB).
Decorative water features: July 1, 2020

As of July 1, 2020, all new and existing indoor and outdoor decorative water features require an operating permit.

Exemptions

There are exemptions, such as systems for single-family homes and duplexes. Systems that have an operating permit under the BC Pool Regulation do not require a City of Vancouver operating permit.

Review a full list of bylaw requirements (34 KB)