B.C. village reports water use far above Canadian average

Canal Flats, a small village in British Columbia’s East Kootenay region, used about 690 litres of water per person per day in 2025, according to its latest drinking water report. That is more than twice the Canadian average of 335 litres. Village officials say they cannot yet tell whether the high figure reflects heavy household use, leaks in the system, or both, because the community does not have water meters. Chief administrative officer Cynthia White said the village knows how much water enters the system, but not how much reaches individual users. The report points to aging infrastructure, including water mains that date back decades, as a possible factor. Officials are planning leak detection work starting next month and may divide the system into sections to investigate it over several years. The province has launched a separate watermetering pilot program for other small and rural communities, but Canal Flats is not included in the current list. Village officials say they need more data before deciding on next steps.