Metro Vancouver sounds the alarm over water usage

What happened: Metro Vancouver is about to get more serious about how much water you and your family use, as a new report outlines how the region is facing a future where demand for water outstrips supply, according to the Vancouver Sun. One way the region plans to deal with this is by increasing the speed at which municipalities adopt water metering.

• Metering measures a household's water usage and charges the end user based on consumption, rather than incurring a flat fee. Not only does it help reduce water consumption, it also identifies water pipe leaks, which may impact 20% of water usage.

Context: The report says that 52 per cent of water in the region is unmetered, but this varies drastically by municipality. For example, 80 per cent of Surrey’s single-family homes and duplexes are metered, compared to 17 per cent in Vancouver. 

While that doesn’t look great, the good news for Vancouver is that 60% of households, driven by condos, use water meters. The region’s worst culprits? Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and North Vancouver are all under 30 per cent, as well as Port Moody, which does not track usage. Older single-family homes usually do not have meters installed. 

So why the push for metering now? The latest forecast from Metro Vancouver puts the region on a timeline of mid to late 2030 when demand for water will outstrip supply. Only six of the 15 Metro Vancouver jurisdictions have become fully metered, representing 47 per cent of water consumption, according to Business in Vancouver. 

• The region is the second largest water user in the country after Montreal, and its water use is among the highest per capita in the world. The region’s growing population will only make this situation worse. 

In some cases, residents may actually save money through water metering. In Surrey, an average single-family home pays $572.65 annually when meters are used, compared to a flat rate of $1,139, according to the Vancouver Sun. 

Zoom out: The Sunshine Coast offers a cautionary example. According to CBC, Metro Vancouver’s neighbouring region has hit Stage 4 water restrictions — which ban all outdoor water use — in five of its last eight summers. Back in 2022, there were concerns that there would not be enough water for firefighting and hospitals. 

• In Vancouver: The city passed a motion to install $15 million worth of meters, with a goal of 100% usage by 2040. 

What it means: Metro Vancouver has the power to force municipalities to institute metering, but has not done so, as municipalities worry about the additional costs of installing meters. Metering is a normal part of living in most cities, and in the age of climate change-induced droughts, adopting it is more critical than ever. 

• Dig deeper: You can read the entire report here.