Port Hardy's Tsulqate Water Treatment Plant serves a community of approximately 5500 people, including the Gwa'Sala-'Nakwaxda'Xw Nation and the Kwakiutl Nation, near the northern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
The Plant's water source is the Tsulqate River which stems from Kains Lake, located 12 km upstream.
The watershed is relatively undeveloped, forested, and steeply sloped. The ground is swampy and mossy, which contributes to the distinctive color of the raw river water. Natural sources of contaminants include wildlife and vegetation. Potential human sources of contaminants are primarily transportation, recreation and forestry activities at this time.
When protecting a watershed for source water purposes, it's important to create an awareness about the link between land use practices and water quality - which ultimately affect public health and water treatment costs. In Port Hardy, watershed public awareness programs have included the installation of Watershed Protection Zone signs within the watershed and the distribution of Watershed Protection fact sheets.
Currently, the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection has an intensive water quality monitoring program in place. Due to recent drought, water quantity has also become an issue of concern for the watershed stakeholder group.
An active Tsulquate River Watershed Working Group meets regularly to maintain a stakeholder network and to provide direction for Port Hardy's source water protection program.
Contact Information
Stephanie Neufeld
Watershed Specialist
Phone: (780) 412-4097