Provincial
Water Sustainability Act
Associate Ministries with jurisdiction to implement the Water Sustainability Act are:
The Water Sustainability Act was enacted on February 29, 2016 to
- ensure a sustainable supply of fresh, clean water that meets the needs of B.C. residents today and in the future,
- establish a principal law for managing the diversion and use of water resources, and
- provides important new tools and updates B.C.'s strategy for protecting, managing and using water efficiently throughout the province.
Drinking Water Act
British Columbia Health Authorities administer the Drinking Water Act and provide monitoring of drinking water systems. They also advise boil water and other treatment advisories.
Health Authority Drinking Water Officers are mandated to apply and enforce the Drinking Water Protection Act and Drinking Water Protection Regulation. They monitor the operations of drinking water systems and act on any notices of threats to drinking water quality. Drinking water officers are responsible for issuing operating permits, and will work with water suppliers to help them achieve compliance with the legislation and the conditions on their permits.
Riparian Area Protection Regulation
The RAR is implemented by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development and calls upon communities and local governments to coordinate to protect riparian areas during residential, commercial, and industrial development by ensuring that a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP) conducts a science-based assessment of proposed activities.
Useful Links:
Regional Districts
Regional Districts of the Islands Trust Area provide various water services including watershed protection programs and water conservation information.
- Regional District of Nanaimo
- (De Courcy, Gabriola, Mudge)
- Capital Regional District
- (Galiano, Mayne, Piers, Prevost, North and South Pender, Salt Spring, Saturna, Sidney)
- Comox Valley Regional District
- Cowichan Valley
- Metro Vancouver
- qathet
- Sunshine Coast (Gambier, Keats)
Improvement Districts
Improvement Districts provide local water services in the Trust Area.
Local Water Organizations
There are various local water groups in the Trust Area.
