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

To enhance public safety, mandatory operating permits will be required for certain new and existing building water systems in Vancouver.

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
Building water treatment systems: June 3, 2019
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
- 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.

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

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

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Get a water systems operating permit

Get the details

Ready to get your permit?

Types of operating permits

Rainwater harvesting and other alternative water systems: January 1, 2019

Building water treatment systems: June 3, 2019

Cooling towers: January 1, 2020

Once through cooling and other single pass systems: January 1, 2020

Decorative water features: July 1, 2020

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