Drought Preparation

Drought Preparation

Drought preparedness in our community

British Columbia is experiencing ongoing climate conditions that increase the risk of drought and water scarcity. While conditions vary from year to year, dry summers, low snowpack, and periods of high demand can place pressure on local water supplies.

The Van Anda Improvement District (VAID) has been actively conserving and managing water for many years. The District introduced its first water conservation bylaw in 2016, recognizing early on that responsible water use is essential for maintaining a reliable and sustainable supply for our community. VAID actively monitors water supply conditions and manages water use to ensure continued, safe, and reliable service aligned with provincial drought‑preparedness guidance.

In Van Anda, water supply limitations are primarily related to treatment plant capacity, rather than the availability of source water alone. During periods of very high short‑term demand—most notably on the first long weekend of summer (late June)—system demand has occasionally exceeded treatment capacity, and on rare occasions the treatment plant has been bypassed to meet peak usage.

Following significant leak detection and repair work completed in 2025, overall water production has decreased substantially. As a result, water conservation measures are now less restrictive than in previous years. However, conservation remains important to ensure the system continues to operate within safe limits, particularly during periods of high seasonal demand and dry conditions.

VAID continues to monitor water use and system performance closely. Conservation remains a shared responsibility that helps protect drinking water quality, system reliability, and long‑term sustainability for the community.

How residents can help:

  • Use water efficiently, especially during summer months
  • Follow any watering restrictions if they are implemented
  • Stay informed through VAID notices and updates

For information on current watering stages or restrictions, please see our Water Restrictions page.

Practical steps residents can take to reduce water use year‑round are available on our Water Conservation Tips page.

Further details from the Province of British Columbia are provided below for transparency and reference.

Preparing for Water Scarcity and Potential Drought Conditions in 2026

Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Watershed Stewardship and Security Branch

Mailing Address: PO BOX 9362 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9M2 Website: www.gov.bc.ca/WLRS

Date: April 30, 2026

Reference: 49972

To: Improvement District Trustees and Staff

Re: Preparing for Water Scarcity and Potential Drought Conditions in 2026

Please be advised that drought conditions experienced across the province in recent years may occur again. As of April 1, the average provincial snowpack is 92% of normal, with high variability across watersheds and many basins either well below or well above normal snowpack. While the risk of summer drought is currently highest for the south coast and southern interior, conditions will greatly depend on weather patterns in the coming months, and we recommend all water suppliers once again prepare for an increased risk of experiencing drought in 2026.

Understanding drought versus water scarcity

Drought and water scarcity are related but distinct concepts that influence water management in different ways.

Drought is a natural climate condition. It occurs when an area experiences an extended period of abnormally dry conditions relative to long-term historical patterns. Drought can be caused by low precipitation, low snowpack, early snowmelt and prolonged hot and dry conditions.

Water scarcity occurs when there is a lack of available water to meet human or ecological needs. It is shaped by both local climate conditions and human influences such as water use and infrastructure capacity. Unlike drought, water scarcity can occur even when conditions are not abnormally dry, especially in watersheds where demand regularly approaches or exceeds available supply.

At the local level, water scarcity depends on factors like source reliability, storage, infrastructure and demand. Local governments and water suppliers are best positioned to assess their own system risks and take appropriate action.

Drought can make water scarcity worse by putting additional pressure on already constrained water supply systems, aquatic ecosystems and community services.

Proactive planning, preparedness, monitoring and water management remain critical to strengthening long-term resilience to both drought and water scarcity.

Stay informed about current drought conditions and water scarcity risks

The Province’s drought preparation and response webpage has several online resources to support water suppliers through drought conditions. Each year, the Province updates British Columbia’s (B.C.) operational plan for drought and water scarcity, which provides an overview of the provincial role in drought monitoring and water scarcity management. Please look for the updated 2026 plan on the BC drought information webpage later this Spring.

To understand water scarcity risks, it is important to regularly monitor local conditions. The Province produces datasets to support local water scarcity risk assessments including:

  • the Drought Portal that displays provincial drought levels, streamflow, groundwater levels and information on risks to aquatic ecosystems, and
  • a Map of 7-Day Average Streamflow that displays Water Survey of Canada streamflow gauges relevant to your area.

Provincial drought levels provide information about how dry conditions are, and how often these dry conditions may recur, at broad scales only. They cannot tell you if your system will be impacted or is at risk of being impacted as this depends on the resilience of each water supply system in times of drought.

Take part in the water supply status survey

This year, the Province, in partnership with the Regional Health Authorities, will again reach out to drinking water suppliers across the province to invite you to submit water supply status information. The Ministry of Water Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) Drinking Water Team will send these survey invitations at regular intervals from June to October.

We encourage you to take part and help us understand the state of drinking water supply in B.C. By sharing this information with the Province, we can better assess which communities are at risk of water supply issues, and where support may be needed if drought occurs or worsens.

Improve resilience to water scarcity, drought and other hazards

Actions you can take to better prepare for water scarcity, drought and other hazards include:

  • Get to know your water source: The new Drinking Water Sources Dataset is now publicly available as an interactive online map on the provincial Source Water webpage. This new dataset brings together information on drinking water sources including location information on drinking water systems, intakes and wellheads, along with the protection zones and the source areas that supply them. The initial release includes approximately 1350 systems, with ongoing updates planned as additional systems are validated.
  • Establish a water supply monitoring program: If your water sources (raw water storage and inflows or groundwater levels) are not gauged, consider establishing a water supply monitoring program, which will enable you to measure the water available and adjust water use accordingly. Understanding the status of your water supply can help to anticipate future water scarcity and improve drought resilience. Professional consultants can help design an appropriate monitoring program for your system.
  • Prepare/update a water conservation plan: Preparing a water conservation plan or updating a plan that is more than five years old is also recommended. This Water Conservation Guide provides a resource on creating these plans. A water conservation plan can help you develop, or update, a water conservation bylaw, which can set out watering restrictions seasonally or in stages, based on projections of water availability. If your water system is fully metered, charging users for the amount they use may encourage conservation. Public outreach and communication can also be an effective tool to explain why water conservation matters and how people can contribute.
  • Prepare/update an emergency response and contingency plan: As a water licence holder, you hold rights and responsibilities under the Water Sustainability Act and must also comply with other applicable legislation. For example, section 10 of the Drinking Water Protection Act (DWPA) requires all water suppliers to have a written emergency response and contingency plan (ERCP) to be implemented in the event of an emergency or abnormal operational circumstances. Having an updated ERCP that includes drought response actions will help ensure water systems are prepared to deal with water shortages. Guidance on preparing an ERCP is available in the Emergency Response and Contingency Planning for Small Water Systems and also the Guide to Emergency Response and Contingency Plans for Water Supply Systems.
  • Plan for the long term and future: Water suppliers are encouraged to ensure effective and efficient operations of their works to help mitigate against the potential impacts of drought. When planning for capital projects, consider projects to support drought resilience such as leakage reduction, universal water metering, increased raw water storage and development of secondary or back-up water sources.
  • Share key drought and water management resources: Distribute the Ministry of Agriculture and Food’s Quick Guide to Drought Resources, a two-page summary of agricultural water-related supports, to agricultural water users. Encourage agricultural communities to subscribe to AgriService B.C.’s monthly Regional E-bulletins for timely, region-specific updates on programs, events, and resources.

Keep up-to-date on the latest guidance and resources available to you

You may already be aware that there are resources to help you fulfil your responsibilities as a water supplier. Many of these resources can be accessed through the Resources for Water System Operators webpage, the BC Small Water Systems Online Help Centre and the BCWWA Small Water Systems Community Network.

The Agriculture Water Infrastructure Program (AWP) supports community-scale and on-farm water infrastructure projects that enhance agricultural water security and drought resilience. The program offers cost-share funding for activities such as developing or upgrading water storage, improving conveyance and irrigation systems, and completing planning and engineering studies.

Eligible applicants, including Irrigation and Improvement Districts, may receive up to $2 million for Stream 2 community projects and up to $200,000 for Stream 3 planning and engineering studies. Applications for Stream 3 will remain open until funds are fully committed, while an additional Stream 2 intake is expected later this year. For more information, please visit the program website.

For questions about the DWPA and Emergency Response and Contingency Planning for Small Water Systems, please contact your regional health authority at the applicable email address:

  • Island Health – drinkingwater@islandhealth.ca
  • Vancouver Coastal Health – healthprotectionNS@vch.ca
  • Interior Health – ihsws@interiorhealth.ca
  • Fraser Health – hpland@fraserhealth.ca
  • Northern Health – php@northernhealth.ca

We recognize that improvement districts are facing many challenges in addition to drought and water scarcity, and we appreciate the efforts you are making to plan ahead and continue providing essential services to your communities.

Thank you for your cooperation and attention to preparing for drought this year.

Sincerely,

Ted Zimmerman

Executive Director, Watershed Stewardship and Security Branch

Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

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