Shawnigan Lake North Water System
Shawnigan Lake North Water System is located north-west of the Village of Shawnigan Lake in Area B. The water system services residential dwellings and an elementary school.
Source, Treatment, and Distribution
The Shawnigan Lake North water system uses Shawnigan Lake as its primary source water. Two groundwater wells supplement the supply of water but the wells do not have the capacity to provide water for the entire system. Water supplied from Shawnigan Lake is pumped to a treatment building (located off Decca road) and receives chlorine disinfection before being pumped to the water storage reservoirs located at the end of Gregory Road. Water from the groundwater wells is pumped to a treatment building (located off Ingot road) where it receives chlorine disinfection before being pumped to the storage reservoirs.
Water Quality Testing
Shawnigan Lake North water system is sampled, at a minimum, once a week. The following table shows the sampling frequency and parameters tested for the water system:
| Frequency | Parameter Tested | Laboratory |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Bacterial (E. Coli and Total Coliforms) | Samples are submitted to the Island Health Authority for testing by a provincial laboratory |
| Quarterly | Disinfection by-products (THM and HAA) | Bureau Veritas |
| Annual | Full spectrum analysis based on the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. Sampling of the source and distribution is alternated each year. | Bureau Veritas |
Testing results can be found in the Annual Water Report completed each year.
Fee Structure
Shawnigan Lake North Water System is a partially metered water system. Each connection has a water meter that records water consumption. Water meters are read every six months and customers are charged according to their consumption. Current year budget information can be found here.
Shawnigan Lake Levels
The Shawnigan Lake level graph is based on weekly lake level readings taken from the Shawnigan Lake weir staff gauge during the operating season of March 15 to October 1. During the “non-operating” season, November to March, the main gate of the weir is fully lowered and the lake level is not recorded.
Click here to view the current Shawnigan Lake level graph.
Undetected Leaks
Undetected Leaks will be considered in any buried service water line or water line in the building’s walls. Plumbing fixtures are taps, toilets and hose bibs.
User Charges may be adjusted where an undetected leak on the consumer’s property has resulted in water usage greatly exceeding typical usage of water, according to the applicable classification(s) and there is no indication that water was knowingly allowed to run to waste. A request for a leak adjustment may be granted if all of the following conditions are met or in extraordinary circumstances, upon approval of the Corporate Financial Officer or the Manager.
- The property owner has not been granted a leak adjustment in the last 5 years.
- The leak was repaired within 30 days of billing or discovery of the leak.
- Written verification describing the nature of the leakage and the action taken to rectify the problem must be received by the Manager before a leak adjustment will be granted.
Where a leak adjustment is approved, User Charge adjustments will be determined as follows:
- If the leak is found in the service line, volumes from the 2 previous years, of the same billing cycle, will be averaged and charged. i.e. Average of 2 previous summers, if leak occurs in the summer.
- If the leak is associated with an in-home plumbing fixture or irrigation system, volumes from the 2 previous years, of the same billing cycle will be averaged plus 50% of the incremental water usage (between the average and the overage) will be charged to a maximum added value of $500.
- Subsequent leaks occurring within 5 years of the previous leak adjustment request will be eligible for the cap of $1,500 per single family dwelling equivalent, up to a maximum of $5,000. Where the average of the 2 previous years of the same billing cycle is greater than $5,000, the eligible cap will be 1.5 times the average.
Undetected Leak Adjustment Application
In order to apply for an adjustment, an Undetected Leak Adjustment Application must be completed and submitted within 30 days of billing or leak discovery.
The process for submitting an Undetected Leak Adjustment Application is as follows:
- Identify and repair the leak on your property.
- Fill out the Undetected Leak Adjustment Application, found here.
- Submit the completed application with supplemental materials (photos, invoices, etc.) to Utilities@cvrd.bc.ca.
Please note the following:
- An incomplete application and/or missing photos/invoices will result in a delay in processing the Undetected Leak Adjustment Application.
- Completion of this form does not guarantee that an adjustment will be granted.
