Graham Lake Water Service

• Project Background

  The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) manages the Graham Lake Water Local Service Area (WLSA), which provides water to 91 properties (approx. 200 residents). Water in the system is drawn from Graham Lake via a 700m transmission line to a treatment facility before being pumped into the distribution system.

  The Graham Lake Water System was previously owned and operated by the Graham Lake Improvement District and supplied water to the CVRD’s Denman Island WLSA. The system was converted to a CVRD service on January 1, 2023.

  The Graham Lake Water System is currently not in compliance with provincial drinking water treatment regulations. Over the past few years, CVRD staff have been working through challenges with the system and restarted the treatment pilot project to confirm the selected treatment technology can achieve water quality guidelines. 

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  March 16, 2026
  The Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC) approved staff’s recommendations on moving forward with Bio-sand Filtration + Nanofiltration treatment and engaging with the community to determine if additional borrowing for fire upgrades should be included as a part of the formal community approval process for funding the Graham Lake Water Treatment Project. The community voted to not move ahead with borrowing to improve fire hydrant infrastructure, and staff presented a staff report on Graham Lake treatment and fire flow recommendations.

  Staff Report - Graham Lake Treatment and Fire Flow Recommendation

  October 6, 2025
  Staff provided an update on the Graham Lake dam and the treatment pilot project, as well as recommended updates to the parcel tax and fees and charges.

  Staff Report - 2025 Graham Lake Dam Update
  Staff Report - 2025 Graham Lake Treatment Update 
  Staff Report - 2026 Graham Lake Parcel Tax and Fees and Charges

  September 10, 2024
  The CVRD merged the Graham Lake WLSA and the Denman Island WLSA into one service.

  June 20, 2024
  An open house was held at the Denman Island Fire Hall to share information on work completed in the past year and discuss additional feedback from the community.

  June 2024 Open House Presentation

  June 17, 2024
  CVRD staff proposed a merger of the Graham Lake and Denman Island water local service areas, as well as the reallocation of Build Communities Strong Funds to resolve the differential reserve balances between the two services. The EASC Directors approved the recommendations and staff will work towards merging the two services by early 2025.

  Staff Report - Graham Lake and Denman Island Water Service Merger

  March 11, 2024
  CVRD staff provided an update on the Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service, including interim treatment plant upgrades, water treatment project, Graham Lake hydrology study and Graham Lake dam study.

  Staff Report - 2024 Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service Update

  November 6, 2023
  CVRD staff presented a current assessment of the Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service, with a number of recommendations to improve the long-term sustainability of this service. The recommendations outlined in the below staff report were voted in favour and approved to move forward by EASC Directors.

  Staff Report - Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service – Update

  September 11, 2023
  With the completion of a new water treatment facility not expected for several years, CVRD water operations has identified a number of improvements aimed at increasing the level of automation and ability to remotely monitor the system, which will significantly reduce the operating effort by Graham Lake contract and CVRD operators.

  Staff Report - Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service – Interim Treatment Plant Control System Upgrades

  June 2023
  On June 12, 2023 an information session was held at the Denman Island Community Hall to provide additional analysis and recommended water treatment options for the area. Below is the presentation given by Kris La Rose, Senior Manager of Water and Wastewater Services.

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  April 2023
  The below staff report (agenda item #9) was presented to the EASC meeting on April 18 with recommendations on next steps.

  Staff Report - Graham Lake/Denman Island Water Service – Treatment Update

  March 2023
  Staff have paused all planning for treatment upgrades until more assessment options have been completed and public engagement with affected residents has occurred.

  The Graham Lake Water System currently does not meet health guidelines. The former Graham Lake Improvement District (GLID) completed a number of studies assessing the viability of treatment technologies for Graham Lake to meet the Surface Water Treatment Objectives. With support from the CVRD, GLID undertook a pilot study in 2022 that ultimately was able to successfully demonstrate the system could meet Surface Water Treatment Objectives.

  In the final months leading up to conversion on Jan 1, 2023, the former GLID trustees and CVRD staff worked together to develop a financial model of the system. During this process, CVRD staff reviewed recent watermain construction costs as the relative age and construction of nearly the entire system indicated they were nearing replacement. GLID also received the updated cost estimate for the new treatment technology. Given the high costs associated with both of these separate projects, CVRD staff are projecting significant borrowing costs in the coming years for the system.

• Studies: Graham Lake Water Service

  Studies from November 6 EASC Staff Report

  • Appendix A - GLWLSA Rate Scenarios
  • Appendix B - Graham Lake Hydrology Memo
  • Appendix C - Graham Lake Dam Safety Inspection Memo

  • Appendix D - GLWLSA Watermain Service Life Assessment

    Please note: the below studies are available for historic purposes only. These studies were conducted prior to the Comox Valley Regional District managing operations of this water system (Graham Lake Improvement District) and are now no longer relevant to current conditions.

  • Pilot Plant Study - Direct Filtration Using NextSand Filtration Medium (September 2020)
  • Pilot Plant Study - Cartridge Filtration and Resin Organics Trap (November 2019)
  • Pilot Plant Study - Water Treatment System Options Assessment (November 2019)
• Upcoming engagement opportunities

  No current engagement opportunities. 

• Previous engagement opportunities

  Graham Lake Water Treatment Plant – Denman Island Fire Infrastructure Upgrades

  Residents within the Graham Lake Water Local Service Area who may be affected by the proposed fire infrastructure upgrades have been invited to a webinar and open house which will provide key information regarding the pros, cons, costs, and impacts of fire hydrant upgrades in their area. Following the information sessions, residents will be invited to cast their votes on whether they support the proposed upgrades. 

  Webinar information:

  April 15 at 6pm

  Residents were invited to attend our Denman Island Fire Infrastructure Upgrades Webinar for an in-depth learning experience on the proposed improvements to select fire hydrants on Denman Island, including what the upgrades include, why it matters, and what impacts it will have on residents. Attendance and participation in the webinar help residents make an informed decision for the online poll and for the upcoming formal community approval process in May. The webinar included a 15-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer period.

  →Watch the recorded webinar here. 

  Open House Information: 

  April 21, from 2-3 pm, Denman Island Firehall

  Residents were invited to attend our Denman Island Fire Infrastructure Upgrades Open House for an in-person discussion on the proposed improvements with staff on the Graham Lake Water Service. To help you make an informed decision for the online poll and in the upcoming formal community approval process in May, staff will be available onsite to help answer any questions for residents. For in-depth information regarding the upgrades, we invite you to watch our recorded Denman Island Fire Infrastructure Upgrades Webinar which is available on this page.

  → View webinar slides and boards from open house here. 

  →Voting poll is now closed. 

• July 2026 Petition Process (now closed)

  Thank you to residents who participated in the recent webinar, open house, and online poll regarding the fire infrastructure upgrades. The feedback from property owners regarding the upgrades was presented at the May 11 Electoral Areas Services Committee (EASC).

  As a majority of residents were not supportive of the additional costs to upgrade the fire suppression capacity of the water system, the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) EASC has decided to proceed with a petition to borrow only the amount to complete the water treatment project at this time.

  All registered property owners within the Graham Lake Water Local Service Area are eligible to submit petitions. The CVRD has mailed copies of the petition to all registered owners addresses, but new copies of petitions are also available upon request. If you do support the borrowing, please sign the petition and return it to the CVRD by 4:30 pm on July 10, 2026, by:

  • Mail: in the enclosed stamped envelope;
  • In person: dropped off at the regional district office at 770 Harmston Ave., Courtenay at the front counter or in the mail slot;
  • Email: Scans or photos of signed petitions may be submitted by email to corporateservices@comoxvalleyrd.ca.

  For the petition process to be successful, the CVRD must receive a signed petition form from the owners of at least 50 percent of the proposed service area parcels, and that in total represent greater than 50 percent of the net taxable value of all land and improvements within the service area. Please note these important points:

  • Only registered owners of the properties within the Graham Lake Water Local Service Area may sign the petition.
  • For properties owned by multiple owners, the majority of owners must sign the petition.
  • If you do not support the borrowing, no further action is necessary.

  If the required number of petitions is not received by the deadline, the borrowing will not be able to be secured and the CVRD will be required to reevaluate the financing of the treatment project.

  Why is borrowing important?

  Without securing borrowing from this petition, the existing grant is at risk of being lost. Should this occur, the cost increase to residents may be at an additional $1,400 per year over the projected annual parcel tax and water tolls. 

  Where can I get further information?

  Up-to-date information, including details on the treatment project and costs, can be found in the March 16, 2026, staff report.

  If you have any questions relating to the Graham Lake Water System and the proposed upgrades, they may be directed to Caley Leimert, Water/Wastewater Analyst at engineeringservices@comoxvalleyrd.ca or 250-334-6028.

  Any questions regarding the petition process may be directed to Lisa Dennis, Manager of Legislative Services, at ldennis@comoxvalleyrd.ca or 250-334-6052.

FAQs

• Who can sign the petition?

  • Only registered owners of property within the proposed service area may sign the petition.
  • For properties owned by multiple owners, the majority of owners must sign the petition to be valid.
  • For a property with two owners, both owners must sign the petition.

   

• Is the proposed borrowing amount of $2,126 per household per year in addition to the proposed rate increases?

  No, the proposed rate increases were based on similar annual borrowing costs for the treatment project.

• Why are infrastructure upgrade costs so high?

  Small water systems across British Columbia are facing significant infrastructure related costs largely due to the price of construction dramatically increasing over the past few years. In addition to the recent increase in construction costs, these estimated upgrade costs also have a 30% contingency. To keep costs as low as possible, CVRD will select a contractor though an open procurement process.  Should the actual cost of construction be less than the approved budget, any cost savings will be reflected in the annual costs.

• Will more land be required for the new facility?

  Yes, additional land will be required for the new water treatment facility. 

• Where is the proposed location of the new water treatment plant and reservoir?

  A new location has not yet been identified; this process will take place once funding is secured and will include a siting study to identify optimal locations, with engagement of affected landowners and consideration of community impacts. The project team will be committed to fair compensation and mitigation of visual impacts as needed.

• What is the financial impact to residents if grant funding is not secured?

  If grant funding is not secured, residents could see an increase in annual costs by approximately $1,400 per year, as clarified in the most recent staff reports and committee meetings, as well as recent correspondence to residents. 

• How will costs be managed if they go over budget and who is responsible?

  The CVRD will regularly report to the Electoral Areas Services Committee on project progress and budget status. If costs exceed required limits and additional borrowing is required, further electoral approval may be necessary as part of the established petition process.

• How will waste byproducts from water treatment be managed?

  The approved water treatment technology minimizes chemical use when concentrating organic materials from the lake meaning specialized disposal is not required. These organic solids will be managed sustainably, with options such as on-island composting being considered during final design.

• What is the proposed size of the Water Treatment Plant and Reservoir?

  While planning and design of the treatment plant are ongoing, current projections anticipate a treatment facility sized to meet the community’s maximum daily demand, roughly the size of a single-family home with a similar sized reservoir. Final dimensions will be determined based on engineering design and will be available online for residents once submitted to the Electoral Areas Services Committee