The City of Vancouver's mission is to provide you with a sustainable supply of high-quality water.

Drinking water is tested for quality at the source waters by Metro Vancouver before the water is sold to the municipalities.  This water is then tested for quality by the City of Vancouver numerous times as it travels through the city's water distribution system to your tap. The results consistently show that Vancouver's drinking water quality is excellent.

Water pressure

Water pressure is largely provided by gravity from higher elevation resevoirs. Vancouver is divided into a number of areas by elevation in order to maintain reasonable water pressures.

The City also operates 30 pressure reducing valves, and one combined pressure reducing valve-flow regulation valve station to further control water pressure.

Help protect our drinking water quality

In larger complexes, Vancouver requires backflow prevention assemblies to be installed to protect drinking water from contamination by the backflow from water used for other purposes:

• Fire sprinkler systems
• Underground lawn irrigation systems
• Commercial boiler systems
• Residential and commercial boiler systems with anti-freeze

Backflow prevention assemblies have internal seals, springs and moving parts that can wear out. Backflow prevention assemblies must be tested after installation, and tested annually by a certifed tester, in accordance with the Vancouver Water Works Bylaw 4848.