Victoria, B.C. lək̓ʷəŋən territory: Released by the POLIS Water Sustainability Project at the University of Victoria’s Centre for Global Studies, the new handbook For Good Measure: A Handbook on Advancing Water Metering in British Columbia provides a clear path and policy recommendations for attaining universal water metering across the province within the coming decade.
“Across B.C., water service providers are confronting deeper droughts and increasing scarcity” said Kirk Stinchcombe, a nationally recognized leader in water use efficiency, advisor to the POLIS Water Sustainability Project, and co-author of the handbook. “Despite this new reality, B.C. does not make effective use of one of the most obvious and proven tools for measuring and managing water use in our communities. We have fallen behind.”
Universal water metering supports conservation, enables fair and transparent cost recovery, and enhances overall utility management. This is why it has become standard technology across much of Canada, the United States, and many nations worldwide. Nearly every other jurisdiction similar to B.C. — including Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Washington State, Oregon, and California — meters almost all their homes and businesses.
“Despite the proven benefits, only about half of the single-family homes in B.C. that get their water from their local government have a meter,” said Stinchcombe.
The authors note that well-understood barriers at the local level, such as significant upfront capital costs and negative public perception, have stalled progress in B.C. for decades.
“To ensure progress and really see the benefits, we need strong government leadership. A provincial mandate requiring water service providers across B.C. to meter all service connections is long overdue,” said Oliver M. Brandes, co-director of POLIS and co-author of the handbook. “This aligns with existing provincial responsibilities to safeguard water resources, regulate water use, and ensure consistent standards at the local level. Furthermore, metering is a critical component of the broader provincial need to advance watershed security as a cross-cutting priority.”
In the handbook, the authors offer a practical path forward for provincial decision-makers to achieve universal water metering within the next decade. They recommend:
- A provincial mandate requiring universal metering.
- Financial and technical supports for communities.
- Improved data collection and reporting.
- Alignment with existing provincial responsibilities, including drought management and water security.
- Learning from successful metering programs in B.C. and similar jurisdictions (including Washington State, which mandated meters for all its water service providers over a decade ago).
The provincial government has already taken some important steps. In 2025, it launched the B.C. Water Metering Pilot Project, which is fully funding the installation of meters in 21 small- and medium-sized communities. Learnings from this project will be shared with unmetered water service providers across B.C.
When it comes to universal metering, the authors say that government leadership like this will be crucial for developing and implementing a proactive, coordinated, provincewide approach.
“As climate change continues to fundamentally alter the conditions under which water is managed, metering is not an optional investment,” said Stinchcombe. “Meters are essential community infrastructure. Leadership at local and provincial levels is necessary to overcome barriers and advance this practical solution.”
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Media Contact:
Taya Barlow (POLIS Water Sustainability Project) at [email protected]
Download:
For Good Measure: A Handbook on Advancing Water Metering in B.C.
