Water Conservation

Tofino's Water System

Tofino’s water is collected with gratitude from the rainforests protected by Tla-o-qui-aht Tribal Parks in the Hahuulthii of the Tla-o-qui-aht Ha'wiih (chiefs). Five creeks on Meares Island supply Tofino's water, which operates as a flow-through system.

Water Master Plan & Water Conservation Plan

The District of Tofino released its Water Master Plan and Conservation Plan in March 2024 to address Tofino’s water scarcity challenges.

The Water Master Plan - Identifies a deficit in Tofino's current raw water supply during the busy and dry months. A water deficit occurs when the community's Maximum Day Demand (MDD) exceeds the flow rate from the source creeks on Meares Island. Based on the report's recommendation, the District is actively seeking to secure an alternative water source and additional treatment capacity by 2043.

The Water Conservation Plan - Community roundtables and engineering consultants have informed the development of new water conservation stages that better suit our community's needs, adopted by Council in April 2024.

New Water Conservation Stages

When necessary, the District of Tofino will implement water conservation stages to decrease water usage, ensuring a sufficient supply for essential services like firefighting and maintaining adequate drinking water for the community.

Residents are encouraged to download, print, & post the Water Conservation Stages Infographic in their homes.

Enforcement

The District of Tofino makes every attempt to encourage voluntary compliance. Those who contravene the Bylaw may be subject to warnings or fines. Please note that the new Bylaw includes higher fines for refusal to comply. The focus in the early stages will be on education, not enforcement. Please use kindness and compassion to spread the word.

To report infractions, contact Bylaw Services.

What is a water conservation information and education product? During public consultation, the business community called for consistent, visitor-friendly messaging. To reach previously unreachable segments of the visiting community, all businesses must now display water conservation information. Click the Resources section on the right-hand side of this page for printable resources. Businesses may choose to design their own conservation information to display.