Metro Vancouver is marking the 100th anniversary of the Greater Vancouver Water District providing drinking water to the region’s residents.

Metro Vancouver provides excellent drinking water for 2.8 million residents through a complex treatment and transmission system that is safe and reliable. The regional district is also responsible for the protection and stewardship of the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam watersheds.

Regional water supply collaboration began in 1886 with the founding of the Vancouver and Coquitlam Waterworks companies. The Greater Vancouver Water District was founded in 1924.

Metro Vancouver is now looking to the future, planning for the next 100 years to meet the needs of a growing population and ensure the water supply system is resilient to the effects of climate change and seismic events.

“Long-term planning for a sustainable water supply is always top of mind at Metro Vancouver,” said Malcolm Brodie, chair of Metro Vancouver’s water committee. “As our region grows and the climate changes and becomes more unpredictable, the next important challenge we have is to ensure that we’re storing and using treated drinking water responsibly. We use too much drinking water in this region in areas it isn’t needed, and the actions and decisions we make now around water conservation will make a huge difference for the future.”

Sustainable use of water resources, including a focus on conservation, will remain key as Metro Vancouver updates its Drinking Water Management Plan to address the challenges associated with population growth and climate change that have emerged since the last plan update in 2011. Later this year, the public will be invited to participate by providing input on Metro Vancouver’s goals, strategies, and actions regarding water supply for the next 10 years.