Groundwater Supply Management Issues in British Columbia

The cost to deliver groundwater supply in British Columbia is currently in the order of $US 0.25 to $US 0.35 per m³.  Comparatively, the unit cost for delivery in the United States is more in the order of $US 1.50 to $US 2.00 per m³, which is higher by a factor of at least 5.  The differences in costs are attributable to a number of factors including hydrogeological setting, electrical utility rates, system size and government regulation.  Increased regulatory requirements for source protection, strain on groundwater supplies during drought and infrastructure maintenance costs have prompted purveyors of groundwater to manage the resource more efficiently.  This paper presents some simple examples using multiple criteria analysis (MCA) for establishing priorities for purveyors based on asset management, source protection and contingency supply.  Specific issues addressed are well monitoring for efficiency, economic drivers for well rehabilitation and operational lifecycle planning.