Water Metering FAQ

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Water Meter FAQ

• Why did the District install water meters?

  Water metering is one of the primary recommendations of the 2015 Water Master Plan to address water supply and consumption concerns in preparation for future growth. In considering water meter implementation, the District assessed:

  • Customer equity – installation of meters allows the District to work towards this by billing the community’s largest industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) water users for actual water consumption;
  • Water conservation – water meters paired with a new water rate structure support the sustainability of the District’s water source, deferred capital upgrades, reduced load on wastewater facilities, and energy savings;
  • Water system management – water meters allow the District to identify leakage areas, high consumption users, and assist with system planning through accurate water measurement and performance monitoring.

• Which types of properties received water meters as part of the water meter implementation program?

  ICI properties, as well as multi-family properties which consist of townhomes and apartments, received water meters as part of the water meter implementation program.

• What does ICI refer to?

  ICI refers to properties that are classified as industrial, commercial, or institutional in nature.

• Why are single-family homes not being metered?

  Single-family homes account for 90 percent of water service connections in Squamish (representing an estimated 60 percent of total water consumption), making the cost of universal metering (i.e., metering all properties) significantly higher than for other options. Universal metering would require more than 4,100 meters to be installed at an estimated cost of $9.5 million. The return on this investment is not expected to deliver the necessary savings to the District through deferred capital costs to warrant the expenditure.

  Covering the cost of a universal metering program would likely mean significant rate increases to properties through Utilities fees – in the range of a 20 percent increase over five years.

  The Water Master Plan recommended implementation of universal metering as a long-term goal for the District.  The District will re-evaluate universal metering in the future.

   

• How many water meters were installed?

  As of 2025, the District has completed the water meter installation, with detailed design and installation of around 520 meters completed primarily through provincial and federal grant funding.

  This number grows each year with new developments and buildings.

• Why did the District choose to include multi-family buildings in the metering program when they are generally lower users of water (i.e., no lawns to water, individual gardens to tend to, or the ability to wash cars etc.)?

  All newly constructed multi-family buildings in Squamish are required to install water meters. Adding existing multi-family buildings to the ICI implementation was not a significant cost difference, and so they are being included in the metering program to achieve equity with the newly constructed multi-family buildings.

  While a perfect scenario would be to implement metering for everyone including single-family homes, it is too cost-prohibitive to do so as single-family homes account for 90 percent of all meters, and would require 4,100 meters to be installed.

  Although ICI and multifamily properties together account for only 10 percent of service connections (and therefore meters), this combined group represents an estimated 40 percent of total water consumption. 

• Did multi-family properties receive one meter or a meter for every residential unit?

  Multi-family properties received one meter per building. A building will share one meter, regardless of whether there are two units within the building, or 22 units. The following is a list of considerations the District has taken into account in choosing this approach:

  • The water system within the strata is owned and maintained by the strata.
  • Common water use (irrigation systems, common laundry, etc.) within the strata, which would require separate meters.
  • Unaccounted water use such as leakage of pipes and unauthorized water use such as connections made after meter installation are beyond the control of the District.
  • Installation of water meters within an existing premise often involves removal of partitions and ceilings, which can be costly.
  • The District considers that water usage between different units within a strata is more uniform than between single-family properties of different size, thus removing some of the incentive to provide a meter for each unit (i.e., family sizes may be different, but strata units typically share similar physical characteristics such as balconies or small grassy areas versus single-family homes that can vary significantly in physical characteristics).
  • The cost of installing one meter at the property line is often less expensive than metering each individual unit.
  • Access to inspect and maintain meters within individual units can be very challenging for District Public Works staff.

• How are residents of multi-family buildings billed for water usage?

  It is likely that the Strata receive one bill from the District and are required to collect the fees from the residents through Strata fees. Each Strata can decide how to apportion costs. Typically, costs are allocated based on the floor area (square footage) of each unit.

• Are new single-family homes required to install meters?

  Not at this time. New single-family homes are required to install water meter boxes only, to facilitate future meter installation in the event that the District moves to universal metering in the years to come.  As noted above, the Water Master Plan recommended implementation of universal metering as a long-term goal for the District. The District will re-evaluate universal metering in the future.

• Will there be a voluntary option for single-family homes to install meters?

  Not at this time, but it has been identified as a recommendation in the 2015 Water Master Plan. This is something that may be considered for implementation in the future.

• With water metering, could residents of multi-family buildings end up paying more (on meters) than residents of single-family homes who aren’t metered?

  Prior to implementing metered billing, there will be a period of time during which data collected from installed meters will be collected and analyzed.  A water rate structure analysis will be completed and will include a comparison to existing flat rates in order to ensure that future billing will be fair and consistent across all property types. Public engagement opportunities will be provided during the water rate re-structuring to gather public input into the process. A period of ‘shadow billing’ will also take place allowing customers to see what their new fees will be under the new structure, and provide an opportunity to adjust water consumption prior to the new rate structure being implemented.

• How will single family homes be billed for water use moving forward?

  Single family homes will continue to be billed for water via a flat fee. A rate study will be undertaken to update the way multi family properties with water meters are billed for water consumption.

• How did the District fund this?

  A significant portion of the funding for the first phase of the project was generously provided by a provincial and federal grant.

  Completing the water meter installations is anticipated to be covered by current water utility rates, however the District will continue to pursue grant funding opportunities as they come available.