Erickson Water System Phase 1 Metering Project

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Project Overview

The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is installing water meters on all industrial, commercial, institutional, and large agricultural (5+ acre) properties connected to the Erickson Water System as part of Phase 1 of the Erickson Universal Water Metering Project.

This project is fully funded through senior government grants and represents a major step forward in improving water management, identifying and reducing leakage, and protecting the long-term sustainability of the Arrow Creek water supply. There are no planned changes to the the existing flat-rate billing structure in Erickson.

The water meters being installed leverage Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) that enables remote collection of data and do not require utility personal to "read" the meters. These water meters are advanced devices that enable remote collection of water usage data in real time, allowing utilities to quickly identify excessive water use that may indicate leaks. Once installed, customers will be able to access near real-time water use information through the EyeOnWater platform, helping property owners better understand their consumption and detect leaks early.

Why Metering?

Water meters are one of the most effective tools for improving water efficiency and accountability.
The goals of metering in Erickson are to:

  • Identify and reduce system leakage and optimize capital replacement planning by leveraging system data.
  • Encourage conservation through greater awareness of water use.
  • The introduction of universal metering in a water system greatly improves the potential for success when competing for future senior government infrastructure grants.
  • Better understand how water is used across sectors.
  • Protect the Arrow Creek watershed, which continues to face environmental pressures and supply challenges during drought.
  • By managing peak water demand and fixing leakage we can reduce wear and tear and extend the lifespan of critical water infrastructure.

Experience from other RDCK water systems shows that universal metering can reduce overall water use by 15–30 percent with combined with metered rates. When metering is introduced to a system but flat rate billing remains in place, reductions in water usage are typically less: 5 - 15% and attributed to early leak detection via AMI and behavioral changes in water usage driven by access to usage data and alerts.

About Phase 1

Phase 1 metering includes approximately 136 meter installations on:

  • Industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) properties
  • Agricultural properties with five or more acres of irrigation privilege

The current meter installation work is taking place through fall 2025, with brief water outages (typically an hour) expected during installation. Residents are notified 24–48 hours in advance through door tags and Voyent Alert notifications. Meter installations for Phase 1 will resume in spring 2026

Most meter pits will be installed within the public right-of-way, but in some cases, site conditions may require installation inside private property lines near the existing water service connection. Disturbed areas will be restored to their previous condition following installation.

Project Timeline

Planning & Design 2024 - 2025

  • Securing grants, Site review, layout confirmation, competitive tender contractor award and coordination.

Installation (Phase 1) Summer 2025 to Spring 2026

  • Meter pit installations and site restoration for ICI and agricultural properties.

EyeOnWater Launch - Throughout 2025 - 2026 (installation dependent)

  • Customer access to online water-use monitoring (typically accessible 2-3 weeks after meter installation)

Phase 2 Implementation - Residential metering (506 connections) funded under the Provincial Metering Pilot Program 2025 - 202


How to Stay Informed

Residents are encouraged to:

  • Sign up for Voyent Alert! to receive installation notices and system updates via text, phone, or email.
    Sign up for Voyent Alert here.
  • Follow this Engage RDCK page to receive automatic email updates on construction progress, EyeOnWater rollout, and Phase 2 project milestones.
  • Contact the Utility Services team for questions at:
    WaterContact@rdck.bc.ca | 250-352-8161 or 1-800-268-7325 (ext. 8161)
  • Looking Ahead: Phase 2 – Universal Metering
  • Building on the success of Phase 1, the Province has awarded the RDCK $3.5 million in grant funding through the Provincial Water Meter Pilot Project to complete universal metering for all remaining residential properties in Erickson.
  • Phase 2 will bring the total number of meters in the system to over 640, positioning Erickson as one of the first fully metered rural water systems in the Kootenays.
    This installation work will begin in 2026 and take approximately two years to complete

Questions and Feedback

  • We welcome community questions and feedback throughout the project.
    Use the “Ask a Question” tool below to connect directly with the project team or post your comments publicly.
  • You can also email WaterContact@rdck.bc.ca if you’d like a direct response or to discuss specific property issues.

Project Overview

The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is installing water meters on all industrial, commercial, institutional, and large agricultural (5+ acre) properties connected to the Erickson Water System as part of Phase 1 of the Erickson Universal Water Metering Project.

This project is fully funded through senior government grants and represents a major step forward in improving water management, identifying and reducing leakage, and protecting the long-term sustainability of the Arrow Creek water supply. There are no planned changes to the the existing flat-rate billing structure in Erickson.

The water meters being installed leverage Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) that enables remote collection of data and do not require utility personal to "read" the meters. These water meters are advanced devices that enable remote collection of water usage data in real time, allowing utilities to quickly identify excessive water use that may indicate leaks. Once installed, customers will be able to access near real-time water use information through the EyeOnWater platform, helping property owners better understand their consumption and detect leaks early.

Why Metering?

Water meters are one of the most effective tools for improving water efficiency and accountability.
The goals of metering in Erickson are to:

  • Identify and reduce system leakage and optimize capital replacement planning by leveraging system data.
  • Encourage conservation through greater awareness of water use.
  • The introduction of universal metering in a water system greatly improves the potential for success when competing for future senior government infrastructure grants.
  • Better understand how water is used across sectors.
  • Protect the Arrow Creek watershed, which continues to face environmental pressures and supply challenges during drought.
  • By managing peak water demand and fixing leakage we can reduce wear and tear and extend the lifespan of critical water infrastructure.

Experience from other RDCK water systems shows that universal metering can reduce overall water use by 15–30 percent with combined with metered rates. When metering is introduced to a system but flat rate billing remains in place, reductions in water usage are typically less: 5 - 15% and attributed to early leak detection via AMI and behavioral changes in water usage driven by access to usage data and alerts.

About Phase 1

Phase 1 metering includes approximately 136 meter installations on:

  • Industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) properties
  • Agricultural properties with five or more acres of irrigation privilege

The current meter installation work is taking place through fall 2025, with brief water outages (typically an hour) expected during installation. Residents are notified 24–48 hours in advance through door tags and Voyent Alert notifications. Meter installations for Phase 1 will resume in spring 2026

Most meter pits will be installed within the public right-of-way, but in some cases, site conditions may require installation inside private property lines near the existing water service connection. Disturbed areas will be restored to their previous condition following installation.

Project Timeline

Planning & Design 2024 - 2025

  • Securing grants, Site review, layout confirmation, competitive tender contractor award and coordination.

Installation (Phase 1) Summer 2025 to Spring 2026

  • Meter pit installations and site restoration for ICI and agricultural properties.

EyeOnWater Launch - Throughout 2025 - 2026 (installation dependent)

  • Customer access to online water-use monitoring (typically accessible 2-3 weeks after meter installation)

Phase 2 Implementation - Residential metering (506 connections) funded under the Provincial Metering Pilot Program 2025 - 202


How to Stay Informed

Residents are encouraged to:

  • Sign up for Voyent Alert! to receive installation notices and system updates via text, phone, or email.
    Sign up for Voyent Alert here.
  • Follow this Engage RDCK page to receive automatic email updates on construction progress, EyeOnWater rollout, and Phase 2 project milestones.
  • Contact the Utility Services team for questions at:
    WaterContact@rdck.bc.ca | 250-352-8161 or 1-800-268-7325 (ext. 8161)
  • Looking Ahead: Phase 2 – Universal Metering
  • Building on the success of Phase 1, the Province has awarded the RDCK $3.5 million in grant funding through the Provincial Water Meter Pilot Project to complete universal metering for all remaining residential properties in Erickson.
  • Phase 2 will bring the total number of meters in the system to over 640, positioning Erickson as one of the first fully metered rural water systems in the Kootenays.
    This installation work will begin in 2026 and take approximately two years to complete

Questions and Feedback

  • We welcome community questions and feedback throughout the project.
    Use the “Ask a Question” tool below to connect directly with the project team or post your comments publicly.
  • You can also email WaterContact@rdck.bc.ca if you’d like a direct response or to discuss specific property issues.
Page last updated: 17 Oct 2025, 10:51 AM