PlaceDossier / Questions

Are there water wells on or near my property?

The province keeps records of wells drilled in BC (GWELLS). A report counts the water-supply wells within 2 km of the lot and gives their typical depth, tested yield and water level.

The report opens at this answer, with the lot drawn on the map and every other check alongside. A PID (on the tax notice or title) always finds the lot; an address works when it's an exact match.

What the answer means

What the seller should share
The well record, water quality test results, pumping or flow test results, and whether any wells on the property have been closed. Your lender may ask for these too.
Licences
Groundwater for household use doesn't need a licence, but owners are encouraged to register the well. Using it for anything else (irrigation, a business) needs a water licence, which passes to the new owner with any fees owing.
Water quality
The well owner is responsible for the water. Test it before you buy, and again after a flood.
Neighbours' wells
Wells nearby show what drillers found, not what a new well on the lot will find. Many older wells were never registered.
The aquifer
A report also names the aquifer the province has mapped under the lot, if any, with its productivity and vulnerability ratings. Each mapped aquifer has its own page under BC aquifers.

Well records are what drillers reported, often decades ago; depth and yield on a record aren't today's numbers. Confirm with a registered well driller or pump installer, and the province's regional groundwater staff before you buy or build.

Source: Groundwater wells (GWELLS), Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); Information for well owners, Province of BC (summarised in our words, read 2026-10-01); Buying or selling property that has a water well, Province of BC (summarised in our words, read 2026-10-01).

Across BC

50°N52°N54°N56°N58°N60°N135°W130°W125°W120°W115°WVancouver: 34 mSurrey: 22 mBurnaby: – mRichmond: 23 mAbbotsford: 22 mCoquitlam: 54 mKelowna: 18 mLangley: 41 mSaanich: 80 mDelta: 9 mNanaimo: 16 mKamloops: 60 mChilliwack: 20 mVictoria: 71 mMaple Ridge: 27 mNorth Vancouver: 83 mNew Westminster: 61 mPrince George: 48 mPort Coquitlam: – mNorth Vancouver: 9 mLangford: 73 mVernon: 13 mWest Vancouver: 39 mMission: 53 mPenticton: 91 mWest Kelowna: 85 mCampbell River: 7 mPort Moody: 49 mNorth Cowichan: 52 mLangley: 76 mCourtenay: 16 mSquamish: 30 mWhite Rock: 102 mFort St. John: 61 mCranbrook: 50 mSalmon Arm: 49 mPitt Meadows: 23 mColwood: 76 mMetro Vancouver, Electoral Area A: 48 mPort Alberni: 53 mOak Bay: 136 mEsquimalt: 152 mCentral Saanich: 79 mLake Country: 23 mSooke: 122 mComox: 10 mWhistler: 30 mPowell River: 52 mParksville: 23 mDawson Creek: – mSidney: 122 mPrince Rupert: – mNorth Saanich: 49 mSummerland: 61 mTerrace: 57 mSaltspring Island: 69 mView Royal: 76 mColdstream: 15 mNelson: 57 mWilliams Lake: 59 mSechelt: 64 mQuesnel: 43 mQualicum Beach: 40 mComox Valley, Electoral Area C (Puntledge - Black Creek): 16 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area B: 84 mLadysmith: 75 mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area C: 79 mCastlegar: 73 mRevelstoke: 58 mKitimat: 26 mNanaimo, Electoral Area F: 24 mKimberley: 65 mNanaimo, Electoral Area G: 24 mComox Valley, Electoral Area A: 30 mTrail: 88 mNanaimo, Electoral Area A: 44 mComox Valley, Electoral Area B (Lazo North): 30 mMerritt: 69 mNanaimo, Electoral Area E: 50 mHope: 38 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area C: 54 mFernie: 30 mKent: 15 mCariboo, Electoral Area A: 29 mSouthern Gulf Islands: 68 mPeace River, Electoral Area C: 38 mPeachland: 93 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area A: 49 mCreston: 38 mOsoyoos: 7 mPeace River, Electoral Area B: 50 mSmithers: 66 mArmstrong: 84 mCariboo, Electoral Area G: 37 mSpallumcheen: 61 mJuan de Fuca (Part 1): 107 mOliver: 8 mMetchosin: 107 mDuncan: 19 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area C: 53 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area H: 36 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area A: 79 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area B: 48 mPeace River, Electoral Area D: 37 mCariboo, Electoral Area F: 40 mCariboo, Electoral Area L: 46 mGibsons: 12 mNorth Okanagan, Electoral Area C: 65 mNanaimo, Electoral Area B: 49 mCumberland: 20 mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area D: 31 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area D: 81 mNorth Okanagan, Electoral Area F: 42 mVanderhoof: 55 mNanaimo, Electoral Area H: 36 mCentral Okanagan: 79 mBowen Island: 104 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area E: 28 mStrathcona, Electoral Area D (Oyster Bay - Buttle Lake): 11 mSparwood: 29 mRossland: 77 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area F: 66 mCariboo, Electoral Area E: 40 mGrand Forks: 22 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area P (Rivers and the Peaks): 66 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area D: 66 mGolden: 20 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area C: 16 mNorthern Rockies: 54 mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area E: 20 mInvermere: 17 mPort Hardy: 9 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area E: 66 mSunshine Coast, Electoral Area E: 5 mCariboo, Electoral Area B: 32 mLantzville: 54 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area C: 63 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area D: 47 mSunshine Coast, Electoral Area D: 68 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area F: 52 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area F: 56 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area J: 55 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area A: 62 mPemberton: 41 mNanaimo, Electoral Area C: 69 mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area A: 34 mLake Cowichan: 41 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area L (Grasslands): 41 mMackenzie: 51 mNorth Okanagan, Electoral Area B: 18 mKootenay Boundary D / Rural Grand Forks: 23 mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area F: 18 mHouston: 84 mSunshine Coast, Electoral Area A: 61 mEnderby: 30 mKootenay Boundary E / West Boundary: 24 mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area C (Part 1): 27 mSunshine Coast, Electoral Area B: 67 mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area E: 6 mNorth Okanagan, Electoral Area D: 34 mCentral Okanagan West: 68 mPrinceton: 30 mCariboo, Electoral Area D: 38 mElkford: 23 mStrathcona, Electoral Area C: 46 mPeace River, Electoral Area E: 48 mSicamous: 25 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area I: 53 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area H: 55 mTofino: 27 mHighlands: 78 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area H: 62 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area G: 67 mSunshine Coast, Electoral Area F: 75 mChase: 46 mTumbler Ridge: 27 mClearwater: 52 mAnmore: 83 mPort McNeill: 45 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area I: 86 mChetwynd: 82 mLillooet: 62 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area G: 24 mLogan Lake: 87 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area A: 60 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area H: 24 mqathet, Electoral Area C: 38 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area A: 98 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area D: 34 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area F: 62 mUcluelet: 66 mLumby: 21 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area E: 99 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area B: 29 mSquamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area C: 35 mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area F: 7 mFruitvale: 27 mOne Hundred Mile House: 53 mHarrison Hot Springs: 12 mCariboo, Electoral Area H: 49 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area A: 29 mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area D: 61 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area F: 23 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area J (Copper Desert Country): 49 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area K: 51 mBarriere: 27 mWarfield: – mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area B: 29 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area G: 9 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area E: 24 mAshcroft: 37 mqathet, Electoral Area B: 37 mBurns Lake: 18 mEast Kootenay, Electoral Area G: 42 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area G: 20 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area M (Beautiful Nicola Valley - North): 33 mKootenay Boundary C / Christina Lake: 42 mKootenay Boundary, Electoral Area A: 60 mKeremeos: 20 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area D: 67 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area H: 41 mNakusp: 73 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area A (Wells Gray Country): 25 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area E: 23 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area O (Lower North Thompson): 36 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area E: 43 mCariboo, Electoral Area I: 42 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area C: 61 mTelkwa: 69 mCentral Kootenay, Electoral Area D: 26 mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area B: 29 mCowichan Valley, Electoral Area I: 23 mKootenay Boundary B / Lower Columbia-Old-Glory: 82 mSun Peaks Mountain: 33 mLions Bay: – mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area E: 23 mFort St. James: 59 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area F: 36 mRadium Hot Springs: 17 mTaylor: 8 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area C: 73 mqathet, Electoral Area A: 46 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area F: 48 mGold River: 23 mCariboo, Electoral Area C: 35 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area E (Bonaparte Plateau): 30 mOkanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area B: 12 mSalmo: 12 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area C: 41 mqathet, Electoral Area D: 73 mNorth Okanagan, Electoral Area E: 48 mStrathcona, Electoral Area B: 74 mSquamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area D: 32 mValemount: 30 mKaslo: – mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area I (Blue Sky Country): 42 mMontrose: – mCache Creek: 12 mFraser Lake: – mQueen Charlotte: 33 mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area C: 30 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area B: 29 mStrathcona, Electoral Area A: 41 mHudson's Hope: 64 mMasset: 21 mBulkley-Nechako, Electoral Area G: 37 mCanal Flats: 12 mMount Waddington, Electoral Area C: 46 mPouce Coupe: – mPort Alice: – mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area N (Beautiful Nicola Valley - South): 55 mGreenwood: 35 mMount Waddington, Electoral Area A: 57 mBelcarra: 86 mColumbia-Shuswap, Electoral Area B: 69 mCentral Coast, Electoral Area C: 27 mMidway: 20 mCariboo, Electoral Area J: 30 mNew Hazelton: 40 mMcBride: – mNorth Coast, Electoral Area D: 22 mClinton: 41 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area E: 32 mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area B: 22 mStewart: 18 mqathet, Electoral Area E: 4 mFraser Valley, Electoral Area A: 61 mNew Denver: 51 mPort Edward: 66 mAlert Bay: – mCariboo, Electoral Area K: 36 mStikine Region: 36 mCentral Coast, Electoral Area D: 28 mJuan de Fuca (Part 2): 48 mTahsis: – mSlocan: – mSquamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area B: 32 mMount Waddington, Electoral Area D: 41 mFraser-Fort George, Electoral Area G: 35 mPort Clements: 5 mGranisle: – mSayward: – mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area F: 44 mNorth Coast, Electoral Area E: 8 mSquamish-Lillooet, Electoral Area A: 49 mHazelton: – mAlberni-Clayoquot, Electoral Area A: 22 mThompson-Nicola, Electoral Area B (Thompson Headwaters): 23 mWells: 28 mLytton: – mCentral Coast, Electoral Area E: – mCentral Coast, Electoral Area A: 67 mSilverton: – mZeballos: – mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area D: 62 mKitimat-Stikine, Electoral Area A: 46 mNorth Coast, Electoral Area A: – mMount Waddington, Electoral Area B: 43 mNorth Coast, Electoral Area C: 84 m

Colour: Median depth of water-supply wells on recordDot size: population

4 m122 m

Deepest water wells

  1. 1Sooke264 wells122 m
  2. 2Juan de Fuca (Part 1)1,031 wells107 m
  3. 3Metchosin433 wells107 m
  4. 4Bowen Island341 wells104 m
  5. 5Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area E125 wells99 m
  6. 6Okanagan-Similkameen, Electoral Area A587 wells98 m
  7. 7Peachland34 wells93 m
  8. 8Penticton62 wells91 m

Next to each figure: wells the median is taken from. Places with fewer than 20 wells on record are not ranked.

All 245 places, ranked →

Source: Groundwater wells (GWELLS), Province of BC (Open Government Licence – British Columbia); 2021 census subdivision boundaries, Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence).

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