Services
Protecting the Aquifer
Safeguarding our primary water source
In Gibsons, we have been blessed with favourable access to Aquifer 560, a pure groundwater resource that provides potable water to the Town’s three water zones. It’s a pristine, award-winning and irreplaceable natural asset, and we take our stewardship of it very seriously.
As Aquifer 560 is a valued component of the watershed, the Town has designated the aquifer as a natural asset, which requires careful management and maintenance as with any other valued infrastructure. This approach provides an administrative responsibility to protect the aquifer from potential impacts that could influence the long-term sustainable yield and water supply for both the Town and the SCRD.
The initiatives outlined below describe actions we have taken to protect this vital resource and its watershed:
Aquifer Protection Development Permit Areas (AP DPA)
The AP DPA policies and guidelines outline the requirements for protecting Aquifer 560 and the Aquitard from development within the Town. The AP DPA works in tandem with the Aquifer Protection Bylaw, Subdivision and Development Servicing and Stormwater Management Bylaw, and water-related policies.
The objectives of the Aquifer Protection DPA designation are:
- To protect Aquifer 560 from land use and development activities;
- To protect the integrity of the low-permeable Vashon Till Aquitard, which confines and maintains artesian pressure and protects the aquifer from surface activities;
- To provide an opportunity to further understand the hydrogeological conditions of the Aquifer 560 system.
Studies, Reports & Strategies
The Town has taken on several mapping and research initiatives to better understand the aquifer and its watershed. This includes the Aquifer Mapping Study, its subsequent update, the One Water Strategy, and annual water reporting.
Groundwater Monitoring Program
The Town has extensive data to understand the movement and cycling of water in the Aquifer and can assess the long-term supply under various demand and climate conditions. The Town’s annual monitoring program provides information on water level, water quality and recharging levels, tracking trends year to year.
Water Metering
In 2012, the Town completed the installation of a universal water metering system. This initiative delivered many important benefits, including helping to identify and repair hidden leaks and raising our collective awareness of water use. At the same time, our finance department implemented a new “user-pay” system, along with appropriate water rates, in order to cover the operation, maintenance and future replacement costs of Gibson’s water infrastructure.
Together, these initiatives have led to a dramatic decline in our community’s water use. In fact, between 2008 and 2020, our Town’s per capita water usage dropped by more than half, from approximately 800 litres per day to approximately 350 litres per day.
