Protecting public health is the main driver for the Capital Regional District (CRD) Water Quality program. The program goal is to ensure safe and high quality drinking water for the CRD customers within the Capital Region.
CRD staff closely monitor the quality of our source water and our finished drinking water through a combination of online analyzers and regular sampling plus analytical testing in the Greater Victoria Drinking Water System as well as in all CRD-operated small water systems within the Capital Region.
In addition to applying the Multiple Barrier Approach to drinking water safety, the CRD, like any drinking water supplier in British Columbia, complies with BC Provincial Regulations and Federal Guidelines.
Drinking Water Emergencies / Leaks
For emergencies call: 250.474.9630
Concerns or comments about the quality of your drinking water? Contact Drinking Water Quality staff at 250.474.9643 or email Jessica Dupuis, Water Quality Officer at jdupuis@crd.bc.ca
Water Quality Reports and Data Summaries
Greater Victoria Drinking Water Systems
Includes bulk water customers (Central Saanich, Esquimalt, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Victoria), and CRD retail customers, (the West Shore municipalities of Colwood, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin and View Royal along with Sooke and East Sooke).
- Greater Victoria Drinking Water Quality Reports
- 2021 Greater Victoria Tap Sampling Program Summary [PDF/722KB]
Small Water Systems
Total Microcystin: Present/Absent Disclaimer
The total microcystin data provided above is limited to water samples collected at each CRD water system treatment plant intake and does not necessarily reflect water quality conditions in other areas of the water body. Raw water quality conditions can vary in different areas and at different depths of the lake. Therefore it should not be assumed that an Absent result above indicates that the water body is entirely free of microcystins. The CRD does not assume any liability to or on behalf of those who use this data, and does not make any representations or warranties on the accuracy or completeness of the data provided.
Provincial & Federal Regulations
All public drinking water systems in British Columbia must comply with the BC Drinking Water Protection Act and the BC Drinking Water Protection Regulation. In addition, while not legally required to comply with all water quality parameters in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, the CRD voluntarily complies with and regularly tests for the water quality parameters set out in the Guidelines.
- BC Drinking Water Protection Act
- BC Drinking Water Protection Regulation
- Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality
- BC Drinking Water Quality Information
USEPA Regulations
In addition to the regulations listed above, where appropriate, CRD-operated water systems also comply with many of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) rules and regulations on a voluntary basis. Some of the limits in the USEPA rules provide the basis for water quality treatment goals.
World Health Organization Regulations
The Province of British Columbia uses the World Health Organization limits as general reference — mostly when there is no Canadian Guideline.
Accreditation
To ensure that the analytical testing is performed to the highest possible standard, the Water Quality Laboratory maintains both the mandatory approval required by the Province and voluntarily participates in several other types of programs.
Frequently Asked Question
CRD Laboratory Services
To ensure that analytical testing is performed to the highest possible standard for municipal and CRD owned water and wastewater systems, CRD Laboratory Services maintains certification and accreditation to provincial and international requirements. The Laboratory also provides aquatic ecology services to monitor ecological health of CRD-operated systems that have surface water sources.
Provincial
British Columbia Provincial Health Officer Water (PHO) Laboratory Approval
CRD Laboratory Services maintains certification for drinking water microbiological testing through regular onsite audits by the Enhanced Water Quality Assurance (EWQA) program and ongoing satisfactory participation in the Canadian Microbiology Proficiency Testing (CMPT) program.
Environmental Data Quality Assurance Regulation Qualified Laboratory
CRD Laboratory Services is a Qualified Lab under the BC Environmental Data Quality Assurance Regulation (EDQAR) in the directory maintained by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (Laboratory Standards and Quality Assurance).
International
International Standards Organization (ISO) 17025:2017 Accreditation
CRD Laboratory Services is accredited to International Standards Organization (ISO) 17025:2017 - General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories through the Canadian Association for Laboratory Accreditation (CALA) for specific analyses outlined in our scope of testing. CALA Directory
Accreditation is maintained by ongoing satisfactory participation in proficiency testing programs and regular onsite external audits by CALA.
Professional Memberships
Our technical and supervisory staff are members of numerous professional associations that promote the latest research and technical developments.
- Canadian Water Resources Association
- American Society for Microbiology
- American Water Works Association
- British Columbia Water and Waste Association
- American Water Resources Association
- Canadian Association for Environmental Analytical Laboratories
- North American Benthological Society
- American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
- North American Lake Management Society
Water Main Flushing
Water mains in Greater Victoria are flushed each Fall and Winter. Read more about water flushing