Drinking Water Quality
Residents of the CRD enjoy some of the best water in the world. Our reservoir is fed by a pristine, protected watershed, which means our water supply is naturally clean and clear, and needs little treatment.
Even so, the Water Quality division keeps a close eye on our water, collecting samples from across the Greater Victoria Drinking Water System every day for testing. The Water Quality and Aquatic Ecology Laboratories run daily tests on the samples to check for everything from bacteria and algae concentrations to pH, turbidity and conductivity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chlorine added to Greater Victoria's drinking water?
Yes. CRD Water Services adds chlorine to the drinking water to disinfect the source water entering the treatment plant. Ammonia is also added about 10 minutes travel time downstream from the plant. This provides a long lasting chloramine residual.
Is fluoride added to our drinking water?
No. CRD Water Services does not add fluoride to Greater Victoria's drinking water as part of its treatment process.
Is Greater Victoria's drinking water hard or soft?
The drinking water in Greater Victoria is very soft. It contains very low amounts of calcium and magnesium salts and does not, as in other cities that have much harder water, produce any buildup of lime inside kettles, hot water tanks or household plumbing. Read more 