Water Meter Installation Set to Begin in Sechelt Service Areas

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will begin installing water meters in Sechelt area residences and businesses.

At its meeting on April 20, 2023, the SCRD Board awarded a contract to Neptune Technology Group Canada Co. for Phase Three of the water meter installation project.

“Phase Three is the final phase of the universal meter installation project and involves installing water meters in the District of Sechelt, including West Sechelt, West Porpoise Bay, Downtown Sechelt, East Porpoise Bay, Sandy Hook, Tuwanek, Selma Park, Davis Bay and Wilson Creek,” says Bryan Shoji, Manager, Capital Projects.

Meters were installed for SCRD water customers in Egmont/Pender Harbour, Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone and West Howe Sound between 2014 and 2017.

Water metering is a widely recognized industry best practice. Many cities and regional districts across Canada have already metered their water infrastructure. Water meters help measure and manage water supply and are a critical tool for leak detection and resolution. It is common for communities to realize a reduction in water consumption by 20% to 30% after the installation of meters. Since water meters were installed in the Town of Gibsons in 2009, the average annual water consumption decreased from 781 liters per day to 357 liters per day in 2022.

Water meter installations are expected to begin in mid-October 2023 and be complete by July 2025. The contractor will communicate directly with each water customer affected by this project to provide details and instructions on how to make a water meter installation appointment. In addition, the SCRD Let’s Talk water metering page will be updated with project specific information for the duration of the project.

“As witnessed during this and last summer’s unprecedented droughts, it is critical that we use our water resources as efficiently as possible,” says Shane Walkey, Manager, Utility Services. “The installation of water meters and backflow prevention devices will provide much needed information to optimize the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water.”

For more information on the SCRD’s water metering program and to ask questions online, go to letstalk.scrd.ca/water-metering. For information on water supply and projects, visit www.scrd.ca/water-updates.