A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage at a property, whether it is residential, commercial or agricultural.

To aid in water conservation, infrastructure life span and to help ensure there is enough water for everyone within the area, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has and will be installing water meters in some neighbourhoods.

Below is a sample of the Neptune T-10 water meters that have been installed to date.                           

Why Water Meters?

• Water meters make people aware about their water use. When people become more aware of their water usage, they tend not to waste it, thereby reducing their overall water consumption.
• Water meters help identify leaks. Leaks can constitute a significant portion of a community’s water consumption. Eliminating leaks benefits everyone.

Did you know?
That Canadians who live in homes that are metered use 39% less water than those who live in homes that are not metered?
That the average residential swimming pool uses less water than the equivalent area of grass? 
This is because you fill the pool just once a year, but grass needs to be watered all summer.

That a steadily dripping tap can waste up to 880 Litres of water a day? That’s 321,200 litres of water a year!

That residents of BC are the second highest water users in Canada? Only residents of Newfoundland use more*.  Okanagan residents use an whopping 675 litres per day which is twice as much as the Canadian average of 329 litres per person per day.

That Lake Okanagan is our biggest drinking water reservoir, serving all sectors of water users in the Okanagan. **

*Source: CMHC http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca 
** Okanagan Basin Water Board http://wwww.Okwaterwise.ca

Where Does The Water Go?

Ever wonder where all the water goes in a typical home. Most of it goes down the toilet. Surprisingly, very little of it is used for actual drinking. These statistics do not account for water used outdoors.