Yesterday, I posted about stage 1 water restrictions starting on May 1st. Metro Vancouver has some of the cleanest water in the world from the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam mountains. The water is better than anything you could get from a bottle. The Metro Vancouver Regional District recently released their annual "Greater Vancouver Water District 2024 Water Quality Annual Report."
|
| A water quality sampling station in Langley City |
The Regional District treats all water delivered to municipalities using ozone, ultraviolet, and chlorination systems to filter and disinfect, though our source water supplies are high quality.
One measure of water quality is turbidity or cloudiness of the water caused by suspended solids. High turbidity water can increase the need for filtration and disinfection as it can increase the likelihood of containments like viruses and bacteria in the water. Climate change is having an impact on source water quality. The atmospheric river event on October 20th, 2024, caused turbidity to spike. The Regional District performed extra water testing to confirm no containments and notified people that though their water may have looked cloudier, it was safe to drink. More extreme weather due to climate change increases the likelihood of turbid water due to increased runoff and the risk of mudslides and other debris entering our water sources.
In 2024, the water coming to each municipality met all standards for biological and chemical containments. Munpicailites distribute water to end users from the Metro Vancouver system and are also responsible for testing and treating water.
We use a significant amount of resources, including financial, to ensure that water coming out of the tap is safe to drink, which is why conserving it is so vital.
No comments:
Post a Comment