The Capital Regional District will be hosting its annual public tours of the Greater Victoria Water Supply Area and water supply facilities from Monday, May 4 to Saturday, May 9.

The free tour provides a first-hand look at the Greater Victoria Water Supply Area and our water supply facilities, which serves more than 350,000 residents in the region. It provides an opportunity to learn more about the care taken to provide Greater Victoria with clean, safe drinking water every day.

The tours leave from the main parking lot at Thetis Lake Regional Park. There are two tour options available.

A full-day (5.5-hour) tour takes participants north to south through the Sooke and Goldstream water supply areas. There are several stops, including a walk to the shoreline of Sooke Lake Reservoir, a look at Rithet Creek that supplies a quarter of the water to the reservoir, a short forest walk, a lunch stop at the dam at Sooke Lake Reservoir, a stop at Goldstream Lake Reservoir and a tour of our ultraviolet disinfection facility. This tour leaves at 9:30 a.m. each day returning at approximately 3 p.m.

The half-day (three-hour) tour focuses on water supply facilities, visiting the dams at Sooke Lake and Goldstream Lake reservoirs and the ultraviolet disinfection facility. These tours leave at 9:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Advance reservations are required and can be made by calling 250-474-9621 from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tours are not recommended for children under 12.

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