New automatic water meters will help residents in Strathcona monitor and reduce their water consumption, limit water waste and support the sustainability of local ecosystems.

The Province invested $2.8 million to support the project.

“Local governments across the province are working hard to improve or upgrade aging infrastructure, so our communities can continue to thrive,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “We’re supporting the Strathcona Regional District to modernize their water-metering system to help ensure water is used efficiently and that resources are available for future generations.”

Strathcona Regional District’s Universal Water Metering project will supply and install residential radio-read water meters in approximately 1,230 households in Electoral Area D.

“Implementing water meters allows the regional district to detect potential leaks more effectively and focus educational campaigns on specific areas of concern,” said Mark Baker, board chair for Strathcona Regional District. “The measurement of water consumption holds crucial importance, not only for accurately distributing delivery costs, but also for monitoring water usage. With water metering usage we can ensure better resource management and encourage a more sustainable approach to water conservation.”

Water meters are a primary tool for water conservation and climate mitigation and can reduce overall costs to supply treated water to businesses and residents. Water conservation can also help support seasonal demands from tourism in the drier months.

“Water meters are going to change the way we value and utilize our most essential resource,” said John Rice, Electoral Area D director for Strathcona Regional District. “They will empower Area D residents with the ability to understand and regulate their water consumption wisely. The community has expressed their desire for this change, recognizing the potential it holds for promoting water conservation, cost efficiency and sustainability.”

This project is part of a $450-million provincial investment in critical community infrastructure to support clean drinking water, wastewater and solid waste treatment, and greenhouse gas reduction through public infrastructure projects in communities provincewide.

“These improvements to Strathcona Regional District’s Area D community will ensure that we are protecting our water resources, but also help the Strathcona Regional District and residents develop a better understanding of where future investments in infrastructure need to occur,” said Michele Babchuk, MLA for North Island. “Through this provincial investment, we are being proactive in making sure our water systems remain reliable for years to come.”

This is in addition to the $1-billion Growing Communities Fund, which was provided to all 188 B.C. municipalities and regional districts to support their unique infrastructure and amenities needs.

Learn More:

For information about the Growing Communities Fund, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/28220