Only six months remain for some groundwater users to apply for a water licence. March 1, 2022 is the deadline to apply for a water licence for those who were using groundwater from a well or dugout on or before February 29, 2016, for non-domestic purposes, such as irrigation, commercial or industrial use. A water licence is not required for a household well or groundwater used for domestic purposes, such as watering lawns and gardens. Instead, domestic groundwater users are encouraged to register their well for free.
There may be significant consequences for your business if you miss the March 1, 2022 deadline to apply for an existing use groundwater licence.
Existing groundwater users who have not applied by the deadline will be unlicensed and must stop using groundwater after March 1 until a licence is obtained. They will be treated as a new user and will not receive recognition for their historical date of first use. Missing the deadline could also be costly and may include fines for unlicensed use of groundwater.
More information on the deadline is available in the new Information Bulletin.
Apply online: groundwater.gov.bc.ca
Please visit the links below to learn more about applying for a licence:
- Questions and Answers: Groundwater Licensing
- Questions and Answers: Livestock Watering and Dugouts
- Video: How to apply (irrigation example)
- Registering a domestic well