Shawnigan Lake North Water System

Shawnigan Lake North water system is located north-west of the Village of Shawnigan Lake in Area B. The water system services residential dwellings and an elementary school.

Source, Treatment and Distribution

The Shawnigan Lake North water system uses Shawnigan Lake as its primary source water.  Two groundwater wells supplement the supply of water but the wells do not have the capacity to provide water for the entire system.  Water supplied from Shawnigan Lake is pumped to a treatment building (located off Decca road) and receives chlorine disinfection before being pumped to the water storage reservoirs located at the end of Gregory Road.  Water from the groundwater wells is pumped to a treatment building (located off Ingot road) where it receives chlorine disinfection before being pumped to the storage reservoirs.  
Shawnigan Lake North Water System

Water Quality Tests

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

 FrequencyParameter TestedLaboratory
WeeklyBacterial (E. Coli and Total Coliforms)Samples are submitted to the Island Health Authority for testing by a provincial laboratory
QuarterlyDisinfection by-products (THM and HAA)Bureau Veritas
 
AnnualFull spectrum analysis based on the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. Sampling of the source and distribution is alternated each year.Bureau Veritas

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

Fee Structure

Shawnigan Lake North water system is not currently a metered water system. Customers receive user fees every six months and an annual parcel tax is levied on individual property taxes. A metering program is currently underway to install a water meter to each property and once complete, metered rates (based on use by each customer) will begin.

Annual Charges 

Billing PeriodBilling DateUser Fees*
 (per billing period)
 Parcel Tax** (approx.)
Annual Fee 
(User Fee and Parcel tax)
January 1 - June 30March 15$181.50 $420$783
July 1 - December 31September 15$181.50

*User Fees are mailed out to each customers on the billing date stated above.

**Parcel Tax is charged once a year and is incorporated into the property tax for each customer.

Current year budget information can be found here.

Shawnigan Lake Levels

The Shawnigan Lake level graph is based on weekly lake level readings taken from the Shawnigan Lake weir staff gauge during the operating season of March 15 to October 1. During the “non-operating” season, November to March, the main gate of the weir is fully lowered and the lake level is not recorded. 

Click here to view the current Shawnigan Lake level graph.