Municipal water systems
About half of Bowen Island homes are served from a Municipal water system. The rest are supplied by private communal water systems or private wells. All Municipal water systems are subject to the Drinking Water Protection Act, Water Act, Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines and other requirements from the Ministry of Health and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority.
Bowen Island Municipality owns and operates seven water systems, serving approximately 1,200 connections.
Annual Water Quality Reports
As of 2021, the formerly seven annually published Drinking Water Quality Reports have been consolidated into one report including all systems:
2023 Annual Water Quality Report
2022 Annual Water Quality Report
Water System Five Year Financial Plan
2023-2027 water system five year financial plan
Attachments and Supporting Documentation:
Permits to Operate (all systems)
Water Quality Sampling Parameters
Sample Range Reports Vancouver Coastal Health
Notification and Emergency Response Plan
ALS Enhanced Potability Analysis Reports:
How to find your water meter and determine if you have a water leak
Information on how to find a water leak can be found here: Do You Know Where Your Water Meter is Located?
Information on how to mitigate the charges on your bill that result from a leak can be found here: Utility Charge Adjustment Policy.
Help us contact you quickly if we discover a leak
Bowen Island Municipality is currently dealing with leaks at some properties in Municipal water systems. We make every effort to contact the property owners, however in many cases we only have mailing addresses.
Please provide your contact information so that we can contact you by phone or e-mail if we discover high water usage on your water meter.
If BIM identifies a leak, every effort will be taken to contact the property owner. If the property owner cannot be contacted, water will be turned off at the property.
Utility Charge Adjustment
Property owners are required to maintain service lines located on their property. Adjustment to metered rate charges may be granted for extraordinary consumption resulting from a leak in the service line(s) between the water meter and the residence or building(s). Adjustments will not be made for charges resulting from use of internal plumbing systems and fixtures including (but not limited to) the following:
I. Leaky toilets, faucets, washing machines and hot water tanks
II. Irrigation and/or sprinkler systems
III. Swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds and fountains
IV. Auxiliary lines connected to the main water line(s)
V. Negligent construction or landscaping work
Read the Utility Charge Adjustment Policy and complete the form
Low water pressure?
If you are experiencing low water pressure, try the following:
- If you have a filter system, you will have to replace your filters from time to time. This may become necessary sooner than usual during the summer with the increase of algae and turbidity in the water supply.
- If pressure reduction occurs in just one sink or bathroom: There are screens on most of your faucets that may also be plugged. Unscrew and clean them.
- Most houses have a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV). As you can see in the diagram below, there is a fine screen through which all your household water has to go. If you haven’t cleaned this screen, this may be the problem. Shut off your water. Unscrew the hex nut at the bottom of the PRV. Remove stainless screen and clean. Reassemble making sure not to pinch the O-ring.
- Contact a plumbing contractor to trouble-shoot the issue.
