Drinking Water Management Plan approved
Metro Vancouver’s new Drinking Water Management Plan has been approved by the Board. Thank you to everyone who contributed their values, interests, and priorities to help shape the future of our drinking water.
From the protected forests where our water begins to the pipes that bring it to homes and businesses, our system depends on careful planning, long-term investment and regional collaboration. The new Drinking Water Management Plan provides a clear roadmap to guide that work.
What the plan focuses on
The Drinking Water Management Plan establishes priorities and actions to:
- Strengthen system resilience to earthquakes and extreme weather
- Maintain and renew aging infrastructure
- Plan responsibly for continued population growth
- Ensure fiscal responsibility by optimizing operations and use of existing infrastructure
- Advance conservation, efficiency, and metering
- Protect source waters and environmental health
- Build and retain the expertise needed to manage and operate a complex regional system
Read the plan
The approved Drinking Water Management Plan is available below:
Engagement
The plan reflects input from First Nations, member jurisdictions, staff, interest holders, and the public who participated in surveys, events, workshops, and review sessions throughout the update process.
Metro Vancouver invited residents, communities, and organizations to help shape the future of the region’s drinking water. Your feedback helped ensure the Drinking Water Management Plan reflects the values, priorities, and lived experiences of people across the region.
Metro Vancouver remains committed to ongoing collaboration as the plan moves into implementation.
Engagement took place across three phases.
| Phase 1: Guiding principles and goals (complete) | Phase 1: Guiding principles and goals (complete) | <div class="ExternalClass7EF4402B464E4EE3970607164D7A821D"><p>From April 26 to July 26, 2024, Metro Vancouver collected input on the Drinking Water Management Plan Update’s draft guiding principles, goals. The feedback, suggestions, and additional analysis and research in this phase of the engagement will inform the plan’s goals, strategies, and actions.<br></p><p>Materials from the first phase of engagement:<br></p><ul class="fa-ul"><li>
<span class="fa-li"><i class="fa-light fa-file"></i></span><a href="/services/water/Documents/drinking-water-management-plan-update-phase-1-public-engagement-summary-report.pdf" title="Summary Report" target="_blank">Read the Engagement Summary Report</a><br></li><li>
<span class="fa-li"><i class="fa-light fa-file"></i></span><a href="/services/water/Documents/webinar-dwmp-update-presentation-slides-June25.pdf" title="Presentation Slides" target="_blank">View the public engagement presentation</a><br></li></ul><p>We are continuing to work closely with First Nations to ensure that Indigenous perspectives, priorities, and preferred engagement approaches are considered. <br></p></div> |
| Phase 2: Draft Strategies and Actions (complete) | Phase 2: Draft Strategies and Actions (complete) | <div class="ExternalClassF957633725AA4DD89A070812513AF436"><p>Thousands of people across the region participated in Phase 2 through the online survey, community events, webinars, and conversations with Metro Vancouver staff.</p><p>People told us they value:</p><ul><li>A drinking water system that stays reliable under changing conditions</li><li>Protecting water quality</li><li>Reducing water use in fair and practical ways</li><li>Healthy rivers, forests, and ecosystems</li><li>Clear, simple information about how the system works</li><li>Ongoing opportunities to stay informed</li></ul><ul class="fa-ul"><li>
<span class="fa-li">
<i class="fa-light fa-file" aria-hidden="true"></i></span> <a href="#" title="Phase 2 Engagement Summary">Read the Phase 2 Engagement Summary</a><br></li></ul></div> |
| Phase 3: Final Draft Drinking Water Management Plan (complete) | Phase 3: Final Draft Drinking Water Management Plan (complete) | <div class="ExternalClass1897EEC8DD624A60A51BEA9BAF0458F7"><p>From January 5 – 16, residents across the region provided their feedback on the
<a href="/services/water/Documents/draft-drinking-water-management-plan-2026.pdf">final draft of the Drinking Water Management Plan</a> and shared final comments before it moved forward for Board approval.</p><ul class="fa-ul"><li>
<span class="fa-li"><i class="fa-light fa-file" aria-hidden="true"></i></span> <a href="/services/water/Documents/draft-drinking-water-management-plan-2026.pdf" title="Phase 2 Engagement Summary">Read the final draft Drinking Water Management Plan</a><br></li></ul></div> |