Quadra ICAN: All about registering groundwater wells

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - With the deadline for registering irrigation, commercial or industrial use wells fast approaching, the Quadra ICAN water security team is concerned that some people may miss out.

According to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development press release, “A water licence is not required for a household well or groundwater used for domestic purposes, such as watering lawns and gardens. Domestic groundwater users are encouraged to register their well for free.”

Kris Wellstein pointed out that water used for home industries like egg stands, market gardens and fruit trees (if the fruit is sold) is classified as commercial.

The Ministry states “Existing groundwater users who have not applied by the deadline will be unlicensed and must stop using groundwater.”

The deadline for filing is March 1, 2022, but “Consequences for not filing with the registry can be substantial, with penalties up to $25,000 for an individual, or $50,000 for a corporation, or 5% of the assessed value of the property, whichever is greater.”

Bernie Amell pointed out that there are already parts of Canada where businesses use water metres and their reports are checked by the government.

“That’s for major water users,” he said. “Even in the prairies, the domestic use is on an assumed basis.”

He added that while “theoretically the licensing for industry is above domestic, but in my experience, watching it happen in the prairies, it never comes down to that because these are people in your neighbourhood. You’re not going to cut them off from domestic use. There is a difference between legally what might happen and what actually happens. There is a lot of scare talk and it is not useful to get engaged in that sometimes.”

(There is much more in the podcast and written article)

Photo credit: Looking up from inside the well - Photo by Josh Kahen on Unsplash