The Capital Regional District has acquired 58.7 hectares (145 acres) of land, including a parcel of the Greater Victoria water supply area catchment land near Grant Lake.
The land is a parcel of the Greater Victoria water supply area catchment land that’s also within the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
The CRD described the purchase as a high priority acquisition since the land for Sooke Lake Reservoir is the primary drinking water source for Greater Victoria.
The land was purchased for $652,729 ($4,500/per acre) from Margaret Forestry Ltd.
“The CRD recognizes our responsibility to plan and prepare for future water supply needs and for the continued stewardship of the Greater Victoria Water Supply Area,” said Lillian Szpak, Chair of the Regional Water Supply Commission.
The CRD supplies drinking water for more than 380,000 people, supporting residential, commercial, institutional, light industrial, agricultural and public safety uses across the Greater Victoria area.
There are 20,500 hectares of protected water supply area including 11 dams and 6 reservoirs.
The Greater Victoria water supply area is located northwest of the City of Victoria and comprises 20,550 hectares of forested land in the Sooke, Goldstream, and Leech watersheds.
These lands are owned by the CRD and managed by Integrated Water Services (IWS) Department.
In 2007 and 2010 the CRD purchased lands in the Leech River watershed.
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