COQUITLAM, B.C., June 15, 2022 – The results are in: Coquitlam has excellent tap water.
Coquitlam’s recently completed 2021 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report shows residents have access to safe, clean and top-quality drinking water right from their tap at home, thanks to rigorous monitoring, proactive maintenance and innovative problem-solving.
As a water supplier, the City is required to report on its water quality each year to the public and local health authority. The report can be downloaded from www.coquitlam.ca/water.
From Reservoir to Tap
The water flowing out of taps in Coquitlam mostly comes from Coquitlam Lake and Seymour Lake and is treated by Metro Vancouver to make it safe for drinking.
Seymour Lake’s water is filtered then disinfected using ultra violet (UV) light, while Coquitlam Lake’s water is treated by both ozone and UV light. For both sites, Metro Vancouver also uses chlorine as a secondary disinfectant, and adjusts pH levels to make the water more alkaline and less acidic, to reduce corrosion of pipes.
Water Quality and Sampling Exceeds Requirements
According to the latest water quality report, the City once again met or exceeded all provincial and federal requirements for its drinking water in 2021. B.C’s Drinking Water Protection Regulation requires the City to take at least 96 water samples each month, based on its population. Coquitlam almost doubled that number in 2021, averaging 167 samples per month for a total of 2,013 samples over the year.
The City draws water weekly from 31 dedicated sampling stations throughout the community, and sends it to Metro Vancouver’s lab to test for temperature, chlorine, turbidity (cloudiness) and bacteria. Metro Vancouver also checks the water samples quarterly for disinfection by-products and twice a year for metals, vinyl chloride and pH levels. Additional tests for odour and taste are also carried out.
The City is committed to safe drinking water and responds immediately if issues arise during testing and follows up until they are resolved.
Proactive Maintenance Keeps Water Quality High
Coquitlam also conducts preventative maintenance on the water distribution system to ensure quality remains high. For example, crews flush a third of the City’s water mains every year on a rotating basis, and clean and disinfect City water reservoirs every three years.
Coquitlam also works to address excess chlorine that can build up in areas with lower demand or dead-end water mains. While these residual chlorine levels are within permitted levels, chlorine can affect the water taste.
To address this issue, the City recently installed an automatic water main flushing device, an innovative system that allows for scheduled flushing to circulate the water more frequently at dead-end mains.
The City also loops dead-end mains into the system whenever opportunities arise through capital projects and new development, to improve water circulation and residual chlorine levels.
Quench Your Thirst from the Tap
Drinking tap water is less expensive and more environmentally friendly than drinking bottled water, which creates plastic waste and uses resources to produce.
Visit www.coquitlam.ca/water for a link to a map and app showing drinking water fountains in Coquitlam and around Metro Vancouver.
Learn More About Our Water System
The City of Coquitlam has developed an interactive Story Map to show how safe, clean and reliable drinking water gets from the watershed to homes in our community. Learn more about our Water System at www.coquitlam.ca/water.
Media Contact
Jonathan Helmus
Director, Utilities
City of Coquitlam
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca