This small B.C. village records twice the Canadian average for daily water use, and officials aren’t sure why

A small village in B.C.’s East Kootenay is using nearly twice the water of average Canadians, but officials can’t figure out why.

The latest annual drinking water report from Canal Flats says the community of about 889 recorded about 690 litres of water consumption per person, per day in 2025, just over double the Canadian average of 335. 

Officials say the number isn’t just raising red flags around water conservation — it also points to a gap in what the village knows about its own system.

“We know how much water goes into the system, but we don’t know how much gets to the end user because we don’t have water meters,” said Cynthia White, Canal Flats chief administrative officer.

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That leaves Canal Flats trying to determine whether the high number points to actual use, leaks or both.

White said some of the village’s water infrastructure dates back decades, and aging water mains may be part of a problem that has been building for years.

The village’s 2025 report says the water system has 472 connections, including 442 residential, 10 commercial, two school and 18 village-owned connections. 

The report urges residents to “make every effort to reduce their consumption both inside and outside the home.”

“We’re in a position that a lot of communities are where we’re being reactive to things that weren’t being dealt with,” White said. “And it would be nice to be able to shift into a proactive stance.” 

The issue comes as the province is funding water meters in other small and rural communities.

In May 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs announced a $50-million water-monitoring pilot program for 19 small, rural and First Nations communities. 

The program is expected to fund nearly 15,000 automated water meters, cover up to 100 per cent of eligible costs, and help save up to 1.5 billion litres of water each year. 

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The ministry says water meters can help communities identify leaks, conserve drinking water and better prepare for dry seasons. It says meters can also help reduce water use by up to 30 per cent. 

The pilot will also study the benefits and challenges of water metering in small communities, with lessons to be shared with water suppliers across B.C.

The provincial list of selected communities includes places such as Ashcroft, McBride, Valemount, Princeton and Revelstoke, along with the Regional District of Central Kootenay’s Erickson Water System. 

Canal Flats is not listed. 

However, leak detection work is expected to begin in Canal Flats next month.

“At this point, we don’t have the data to know what it is that we need to do next,” White said.

She said water meters have not been discussed by the village yet, because officials need that leak detection data to determine what comes next.

The village is looking at dividing the water system into four or five sections, with leak detection likely happening one section at a time each year.

White said that means the work could take four to five years, but the timeline will depend on what the village finds and how repairs are prioritized.