Water treatment

The Seymour-Capilano filtration plant will treat most of Vancouver's water supply.

Vancouver's drinking water comes from the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam reservoirs, which are managed by Metro Vancouver, and closed to public access to help prevent contamination.

Seymour-Capilano water filtration plant

Metro Vancouver has built a water filtration plant that will treat most of Vancouver's water supply. The filtration plant is located in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, downstream of the Seymour Reservoir.

The filtration plant treats water from the Seymour Reservoir, and will treat Capilano Reservoir water once more construction is complete.

Learn more about the reservoirs and water treatment plant

How the filtration process works

The filtration process:

  • Reduces turbidity or cloudiness.
  • Removes Giardia and Cryptosporidium micro-organisms, which can cause illness. 
  • Reduces the amount of chlorine required for disinfection.

With less chlorine required and fewer organics in the water, the level of disinfection by-products will also be reduced. For Vancouverites, the filtration process improves the taste, colour, and smell of the water.

About chlorine use

Metro Vancouver adds chlorine to drinking water to disinfect it and ensure there is no bacterial growth in the water supply.

We work with Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health to monitor chlorine levels - current levels are acceptable.

Water quality and pressure

Find out who can help you to fix water quality and water pressure problems.

Use our guide