Water Infastructure

Water System

The City of Williams Lake’s water system consists of 5 deep wells located on Scout Island and North Lakeside, drawing from an underground aquifer in the center of the valley below the lake. The water is disinfected using a Sodium Hypochlorite system. 

The average daily consumption varies from 10 million litres per day to over 36 million litres per day during peak daily flow.
Sodium Hypochlorite System
A computer controlled monitoring system oversees the operation of the entire Water Distribution system including pumping stations, deep wells, and reservoir levels on a 24 hour basis, to ensure the safety, security, and integrity of the water system. This monitoring system alerts the on-call water staff of any problems that occur so the necessary repairs or problems can be rectified as soon as possible.

All water systems operators are certified with the British Columbia Water and Wastewater Association and the Environmental Operator Certification Program. 

Conservation

Download Bylaw 1792, and learn how it regulates the use of irrigation services for lawns and gardens, and includes the state's water restrictions for city residents.


Tips for Conserving Water

  • When you need a cool drink of water, instead of letting the water run, keep a jug of water in the fridge.
  • Save the cooled water from boiling potatoes and pasta to use for watering plants.
  • Use a broom to clean your driveway instead of water.
  • Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. You can save 15-30 litres of water a day.

Water Quality

The City of Williams Lake draws its water from an underground aquifer, which is a safe and secure source. The water is chlorinated for disinfection at the source. The water meets the Canadian Drinking Water Health Guidelines.

City staff performs an internal bacterial analysis for total Coli form and E. Coli four days per week; weekly potable water tests for Total Chlorine and Chlorine Residual, and daily calculations for the amount of Sodium Hypochlorite that has been injected is done at the source. On a quarterly basis, the City's deep wells are tested for several water quality parameters. City staff also acquire 5 grab samples per week as per Interior Health requirements from several locations throughout the distribution system, which are sent to an independent lab for water quality analysis.

All water quality test results are forwarded to the Provincial Health Authorities on a monthly basis. A copy of the testing results can be viewed and downloaded from the City's website here: https://www.williamslake.ca/376/Water-Reports

Chlorine System

Operations

Operations performed and monitored by this division are chlorine and fluoride injection, computer communications for both water and sewer stations, equipment two-way radio communication, fire alarms, plumbing, electrical, heating and air-conditioning, traffic control lights, street lighting, janitorial, and all other aspects associated with the aforementioned.

For More Information

For any questions or inquiries, please call 250-392-1765 or email, publicworks@williamslake.ca