Water Wars!

While water scarcity and competition are real concerns for the world and the Township of Langley is not immune to shortages and water-related problems, cooperation and sustainable water management practices are crucial for the Township to continue to thrive. As a local policy geek, I’m interested in the Township of Langley's recent decisions regarding our water supply. The move to decommission local wells and rely more on Metro Vancouver's water system is being referred to as a step toward cleaner, safer water. This significant change has largely gone unnoticed. I researched related material from council meeting minutes, public documents, and public input in an attempt to piece together the full story.

Is it really necessary to close Langley's wells for water safety?

PROBABLY!

The Township has taken action to mitigate water quality issues. Fort Langley's Well #2, for example, was shut down due to low pH levels that were corroding plumbing. That decision was made during the November 14, 2022, council meeting.

The 2023 Annual Water Quality Report confirms that six groundwater wells in Brookswood and Murrayville were taken offline and scheduled for decommissioning in 2023 and 2024. The closures were linked to elevated concentrations of manganese and nitrates in raw water samples. For example, Aldergrove Well 10 tested above the health-based Maximum Acceptable Concentration for nitrates, and most of the affected wells exceeded the Aesthetic Objective for manganese. But the water coming out of residents’ taps still met Canadian drinking water standards. That’s because it was treated and blended at the Aldergrove Water Treatment Plant before distribution.

So why shut the wells down entirely if the water was still safe? That’s the bigger question. Mayor Woodward says it’s about health, but the system was already providing safe drinking water. This may be part of a broader shift: moving Langley away from local, self-managed water infrastructure and toward Metro Vancouver’s more expensive regional system. Whether that’s about planning, efficiency, or long-term control, it’s a decision that warrants more public input.

Will costs increase for Langley ratepayers?

OPERATING COSTS —YES. CAPITAL COSTS — Possibly.

Switching to Metro Vancouver water is already costing more. According to the Township’s own Water Wise webpage, water from Metro Vancouver costs about three times more than using local groundwater. Reduced reliance on our own wells increases dependency on this more expensive regional supply.

For now, Langley is still charging lower legacy rates, which means we're delivering water at a loss for part of the year. That gap used to be covered by cheap groundwater. Not anymore. Metro Vancouver’s rates are also expected to climb nearly 60 percent by 2027. Without clear offsets or new revenue, the cost burden could continue to shift to residents.

Then there’s the question of capital spending. A staff report in July 2023 estimated that replacing five aging reservoirs could cost over $70 million. These reservoirs are decades old and need upgrades to meet firefighting and emergency storage standards. But here’s the twist. Those costs are not the result of switching to Metro Vancouver. In fact, moving away from wells may let the Township retire some of that old infrastructure. For example, the Murrayville reservoir is already offline and can now be decommissioned. That means some spending might be avoided, though other upgrades are still needed to keep up with growth and pressure demands.

The Township hasn’t released a long-term cost comparison between keeping wells and relying on Metro water, making it harder for residents to assess the trade-offs.

Metro Vancouver is deep into costly infrastructure upgrades, with a history of overruns. The more Langley depends on Metro water, the more exposed we are to rising regional costs and to decisions that do not consider our local context and the diversity of needs.

Are the well closures bad for emergency preparedness?

SOME MORE THAN OTHERS.

This one really jumped out at me. Local wells used to be part of our emergency backup system. Now they’re being shut off, with no plan to replace them. Fort Langley's well, for example, was flagged as an emergency source - and it’s now decommissioned.

I couldn’t find any solid plan explaining what happens if a major quake knocks out Metro Vancouver’s water delivery. That gap is concerning.

Has there been opposition or concerns about the well closures?

YES.

At a public hearing on May 29, 2023, residents spoke up about how dense new development was affecting groundwater. I combed through the minutes myself. One resident warned that aggressive construction in Brookswood and Fernridge was putting the aquifer under pressure. Another asked if the Township had even studied the long-term risks.

It’s hard to separate water policy from land use. The same council moving to shut down wells is also approving major development projects. Are we building faster than our infrastructure and water table can handle? And would keeping the wells active help maintain the capacity to service a quickly growing community?

Well closures might make sense when viewed through the lens of water chemistry and long-term risk. But when you add in the higher cost of Metro water, infrastructure resiliency, and growing development pressure, the picture becomes more complicated. The decisions being made now will shape Langley's water system for decades to come.

I am hoping to spark a discussion of issues, welcome your thoughts. Let me know in the comments

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