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Monitoring drinking water safety Drinking water complaints & investigations Private drinking water safety Resources

Drinking Water

Learn how to stay up-to-date on the safety of drinking water in the Interior Region, and what process to follow if you have concerns about your drinking water.

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Monitoring drinking water safety

You can stay up-to-date on the safety of your drinking water by:

Drinking water complaints & investigations

If you have concerns about your drinking water, read the steps listed below.

Step 1: Contact your water supplier

If you’re connected to a community water system, contact your water supplier to register your concern or complaint. In many cases, it will be possible to resolve the issue at this point. If your discussion with the water supplier has not produced a satisfactory result, please move on to Step 2.

Step 2: Report a problem

If you believe that there’s a threat to a drinking water supply, you may request an investigation into the matter. All investigation requests should be in writing using the EPH Direct feedback portal and include specifics of the alleged threat. An environmental health officer will review the request and consider whether it warrants an investigation.

The person who submits an investigation request to an environmental health officer will be informed in writing:

  • Whether an investigation has or will be undertaken
  • The results of any investigation undertaken

Private drinking water safety

Private drinking water is a well or surface water intake that serves only one single-family home. There is minimal regulatory oversight on private drinking water. The homeowner is responsible for ensuring the water is safe for drinking, cooking and household sanitation. Private water system owners have a responsibility to maintain information and apply reasonable steps to monitor their source water and stay informed. This becomes a legal requirement for the landlord where renting. Those that use private water sources should be aware of hazards and take steps to ensure their tap water is safe.

Monitor your source water. Surface water and well water sources should be tested. Please see the resource section below on how to test your water and for private drinking water testing labs. Surface water sources and many ground water sources should be disinfected. For more information, visit Disinfecting Drinking Water. Learn more about registering your well and Water Licenses & Approvals. 

Private water users should be cautious and ensure that strategies and treatments are employed at all times to address all potential hazards in the water supply, including algal toxins.

If you suspect your water is impacted by an algae bloom report the bloom to Algae Watch (gov.bc.ca).

Certain blooms may contain toxins. Review Cyanobacteria Blooms (Blue-green Algae). During a cyanobacteria bloom, consider using an alternate source of drinking water for you, your family, and any pets or livestock. Boiling the water will NOT remove toxins. 

There are occasions (e.g. spills, pollution) when Environmental Public Health becomes aware of risks (bacteriological, chemical, or physical) to source water. Interior Health posts advisories for regulated systems (not private drinking water) on Drinking Water for Everyone.

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