Drinking Water Management Plan Update: Metro Vancouver is updating its Drinking Water Management Plan, “… the region’s 10-year guiding document for protecting, managing, and investing in the drinking water system.” They have released a Drinking Water Management Plan Strategies and Actions document for review, which includes five priority areas and seventeen draft strategies along with numerous potential actions. Metro Vancouver will be focusing on issues such as:

• Enhancing resiliency; 
• Water supply quantity/quality (e.g., preparing for climate change, and accommodating population growth); 
• Environmental protection/greenhouse gas emissions; and  
• Conservation/efficiency. 

The latter point includes advancing residential water metering, including potentially having member jurisdictions “… mandate metering on all new residential construction … by 2028.” They are also considering mandating metering in other circumstances, including for: 

• “Properties undergoing transfer of ownership; and  
• Properties with secondary or laneway suites.” 

As part of their efforts, Metro Vancouver is also considering exploring “… the use of water rates that promote conservation, such as tiered and seasonal pricing.” However, it is not clear what the timing of these changes would be relative to the 2028 plan to begin mandating water metering.  

Metro Vancouver has released a survey that will be open until September 12th. They plan on completing the Drinking Water Management Plan update​ next year.