Utilities Division

Is there a street light that's blinking or burnt out? You can use the street light report form and report it directly to the Utilities Division.

The City of Prince George Drinking Water System

Drinking Water Overview

City drinking water comes from 6 municipal wells that draw 17.8 billion liters of water each year from underground aquifers.
By utilizing underground aquifers, residents are protected against bacteria and other pollutants often found in surface sources such as lakes or rivers.
Raw water is chlorinated according to guidelines set out by the Northern Health Authority. The amount of chlorine used is monitored daily to maintain system-wide balance and to ensure the highest degree of protection for all residents. In addition, certified City operators routinely sample our water supply for quality and safety using accredited laboratories.
Treated water is pumped to and stored in 14 service reservoirs strategically located throughout the City. Water is supplied to homes either directly from water supply well pumps or from one of these reservoirs.

Merits of City supplied drinking water

City operators monitor water quality on a continuous basis through manual sampling and on site automatic instrumentation.
Approximately 90 samples are taken every month and sent to the BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC) with the goal of having zero coliforms present. The City’s disinfection practices maintain product integrity and purity throughout the distribution system. Safety is equal or better than bottled water. No further treatment of tap water is required.
No Cryptosporidia or Giardia is present due to the natural filtering of groundwater. A year long sampling for these two protozoal parasites yielded zero readings in a survey of weekly samples taken in 1997. As a result, Prince George is considered one of the best water systems in the province for protection against these organisms and as such, is used as a negative protozoal cyst control in BCCDC and UBC studies on Cryptosporidia and Giardia. No other BC community has matched this track record. Since 1997, Prince George continues to have no incidents of Cryptosporidia or Giardia. (Provided by NHA)
The buffered chemistry of the City’s water and moderate amounts of calcium and hardness dissuade the leaching of heavy metals or plasticizers out of plumbing or containers. For example, Prince George scored one of the lowest concentrations of lead in the province in a Ministry of Health survey. (Provided by NHA)
Tap water such as Prince George’s is fresh as it is continually extracted from the environment and consumed. Bottled water, in comparison, can be weeks, even months old, depending on the source.
Turbidity is low; clarity is high throughout the year – unlike many systems in BC
Water tastes fresh – with no aftertaste caused by sources such as algae.
Tap water costs are very low. Municipal water is a great bargain in the market place.

Kids and Teachers

Check out the this great activity about groundwater and aquifers - Edible Earth Parfaits.

Water Quality

The City of Prince George maintains a water quality testing program to ensure the water provided to its residents is among the best in the province. A map of the city's pressure zones and associated quality reports are available on the water quality and pressure zones page.

Documents

Annual Backflow Prevention Assembly Test Report

Water Conservation

Water conservation became paramount when the City of Prince George experienced severe water shortages in the summers of 1997 and 1998. The average domestic water demand can more than double during the summer with over one-third of the total water being used for lawn sprinkling. More information can be found on the water conservation page.

Water Use Restrictions

More information is available on the water use restrictions page.

More Utilities Information

For more information on specific areas, please click on one of the links below:

Community Energy System
Utility Rates
Residential Utilities
Metered Utilities - Corporate Account Info, Billing Schedule
Water Regulations and Rates Bylaw No. 7479, 2003 [PDF]

Before You Pave Your Driveway

Before paving driveways, please call the Utility Operations Hotline at 561-7505 to arrange a FREE service location of your water and sewer connections. This will prevent us from having to dig up your freshly poured asphalt or concrete in the event of an emergency water shut off or a blocked sewer.

Keeping Hydrants Free of Obstructions

As per City of Prince George Bylaw #7479 [PDF], please keep all fire hydrants on your property, clear of any obstruction including plants, bushes, or rock gardens. In a fire emergency, seconds count. Any obstruction or impediment to emergency workers and/or fire crews could have a significant negative impact.

Please Stay Out of Work Zones

For safety reasons, the City of Prince George, Utility Operations Division is requesting the public to understand that only authorized personnel and equipment have access to a work zone. City crews, who are working in the downtown core as well as other key areas of the City, wish to advise you that when a work area is taped off - you are not allowed to enter this work zone - for your own safety, as well as the safety of the crews.

Natural Gas

Terasen Gas information is available on their website .

Terasen Gas delivers natural gas to homes and businesses throughout BC. The company is focused on connecting customers safely, efficiently and reliably to the energy and services they need. Use the links below to quickly find information that is important to you.

BC Hydro Power Smart Tips

Save energy and improve the comfort of your home with Power Smart tips.

Whether you're a home owner or renter, in a house, apartment, townhouse or condo, there's a lot you can do to save energy. Learn more at the BC Power Smart Tips website .