Fern Ridge Water System is a small water system located east of Shawnigan Lake village in Area A. The system provides water to 34 residential properties.

Source, Treatment and Distribution

Water is pumped from a groundwater well to the treatment building where it receives chlorine disinfection. The water is then sent to the 200 m³ reservoir and pumped into the distribution system as required by the customers.

Critical equipment is monitored 24-hours a day for malfunctions, such as high or low chlorine levels or pump failures, and if such an abnormality occurs an alarm is sent to the on-duty pager to alert CVRD staff for immediate response.

Water Quality Testing

Fern Ridge water system is sampled, at a minimum, once a week. The following table shows the sampling frequency and parameters tested for the water system:

Testing results can be found in the Annual Water Report completed each year.

Fee Structure

Fern Ridge Water System is a fully metered water system, meaning each connection has a water meter that records water consumption. Water meters are read every six months and customers are charged according to their consumption. Current year budget information can be viewed here.

Undetected Leaks

Undetected Leaks will be considered in any buried service water line or water line in the building's walls. Plumbing fixtures are taps, toilets and hose bibs. 

User Charges may be adjusted where an undetected leak on the consumer’s property has resulted in water usage greatly exceeding typical usage of water, according to the applicable classification(s) and there is no indication that water was knowingly allowed to run to waste. A request for a leak adjustment may be granted if all of the following conditions are met or in extraordinary circumstances, upon approval of the Corporate Financial Officer or the Manager.

1. The property owner has not been granted a leak adjustment in the last 5 years. 
2. The leak was repaired within 30 days of billing or discovery of the leak.
3. Written verification describing the nature of the leakage and the action taken to rectify the problem must be received by the Manager before a leak adjustment will be granted.

Where a leak adjustment is approved, User Charge adjustments will be determined as follows:

1. If the leak is found in the service line, volumes from the 2 previous years, of the same billing cycle, will be averaged and charged. i.e. Average of 2 previous summers, if leak occurs in the summer.
2. If the leak is associated with an in-home plumbing fixture or irrigation system, volumes from the 2 previous years, of the same billing cycle will be averaged plus 50% of the incremental water usage (between the average and the overage) will be charged to a maximum added value of $500.
3. Subsequent leaks occurring within 5 years of the previous leak adjustment request will be eligible for the cap of $1,500 per single family dwelling equivalent, up to a maximum of $5,000. Where the average of the 2 previous years of the same billing cycle is greater than $5,000, the eligible cap will be 1.5 times the average.

Undetected Leak Adjustment Application

In order to apply for an adjustment, an Undetected Leak Adjustment Application must be completed and submitted within 30 days of billing or leak discovery.

The process for submitting an Undetected Leak Adjustment Application is as follows:

1. Identify and repair the leak on your property.
2. Fill out the Undetected Leak Adjustment Application, found here.
3. Submit the completed application with supplemental materials (photos, invoices, etc.) to Utilities@cvrd.bc.ca.

Please note the following:

• An incomplete application and/or missing photos/invoices will result in a delay in processing the Undetected Leak Adjustment Application.
• Completion of this form does not guarantee that an adjustment will be granted.

For any questions and inquiries regarding the Undetected Leak Adjustment Application, please contact the Utilities Division at Utilities@cvrd.bc.ca or 250.746.2530.