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Cranbrook, BC (May 12, 2026) - Over the past few years, Asset Management has become a core part of how the City of Cranbrook does its work. While the term can sound like a buzzword, it simply means taking a thoughtful, proactive approach to caring for the physical and natural assets the City owns — from roads and water systems to parks, buildings, and vehicles.

This Service Spotlight series is designed to make Asset Management easier to understand and show how this quietly guides the everyday work the City does on behalf of the community.

At its core, Asset Management is about getting the best value from what the City owns by balancing cost, risk, and performance over the full life of each asset. Cranbrook’s Asset Management Strategy brings together years of planning, data, and best practices into a shared approach that helps departments make consistent, informed decisions. By focusing on regular condition assessments and long-term planning, the City can maintain and replace infrastructure at the right time, reduce risks, and plan responsibly — supporting reliable services today and for generations to come.

In this spotlight, we focus on one of the most essential services we provide: water.

Delivering Safe, Reliable Drinking Water

Providing safe, clean drinking water is a fundamental responsibility of the City of Cranbrook. Public Works staff carefully monitor water quality from the source all the way to your tap.

Water is regularly tested on-site and by independent laboratories to ensure it meets strict standards. These tests look for bacteria, chemicals, and nutrients, helping confirm water quality remains safe and consistent throughout the year.

Certified operators take daily measurements of key indicators such as chlorine levels, temperature, and clarity at multiple locations across the system. Additional samples are collected weekly, monthly, and annually to check for bacteria and naturally occurring compounds. This ongoing monitoring, guided by national drinking water standards, helps ensure residents receive high-quality drinking water every day. 

You can learn more about how we do this important work at https://cranbrook.ca/water-conservation/water-quality. 

Investing in Our Water System

Starting in 2026, one of two major capital projects will move into construction as part of Cranbrook’s water system infrastructure improvements. Both projects are guided by Asset Management planning and focused on long-term reliability and resilience: Phillips Reservoir UV Disinfection Facility and the Gold Creek Dam Replacement.

Phillips Reservoir UV Disinfection Facility

This key project, which is planned to get underway later this spring, will modernize how the City treats drinking water by adding ultraviolet (UV) disinfection to the treatment process, alongside a new sodium hypochlorite system. Together, these upgrades create a dual-barrier treatment system that improves water quality, enhances safety for both the public and operators, and ensures the City continues to meet provincial drinking water standards.

This project is an important investment in the long-term reliability of Cranbrook’s water system. The new facility is being designed to meet the needs of today while supporting growth well into the future, with infrastructure able to accommodate projected growth over the next 75 years. It will also help the City maintain its current treatment approach and defer the need for a much more expensive filtration treatment plant, which could cost in the range of $100+ million to build and would add significant ongoing operating costs.

In March 2024, the City of Cranbrook was awarded $9.5 million in funding from both the Government of Canada and the Province of BC. $5.19 million in project funds is coming from the Government of Canada’s Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Green Infrastructure – Environmental Quality Stream while another $4.32 million in funds is coming from the Province of BC. The City is contributing a total of $3.46 million to the $12.99-million project.

The City of Cranbrook gratefully acknowledges the financial commitment of both the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia toward this important project.

Gold Creek Dam Replacement

The Gold Creek Dam replacement project involves rebuilding a century-old dam that has reached the end of its useful life and is experiencing significant structural stress.

Replacing the dam will resolve these issues while also expanding water storage capacity. This added capacity will help ease water restrictions, support community growth, and improve resilience to climate change and natural disasters.

Staff are currently developing final plans, drawings, costing and permitting for the new structure. If all permits are received, this project may potentially begin construction in late 2026 or early 2027. The planning work is to continue through the spring, summer and into the fall months. The approved funding for the project is $15 million. Through a successful grant application to the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) — Disaster Risk Reduction–Climate Adaptation stream, the City has secured $5 million in funding. Along with the grant funding, the City has approved borrowing of up to $10 million.

This project will represent a significant milestone for Cranbrook, as it secures our community’s water supply for generations. Ensuring a reliable and resilient water system will empower Cranbrook to continue its growth and development while preparing for challenges posed by climate change. This is a proactive step to safeguard our future and maintain the essential resources our community relies on.

Water Conservation: Everyone Has a Role

The City works every day to ensure safe, clean drinking water is available whenever you turn on the tap. Delivering that service requires significant staff time, infrastructure, and tax dollars.

While British Columbia is known for abundant freshwater, growing populations, expanding industry, and climate change are putting increasing pressure on water supplies. Water availability depends heavily on snowmelt and rainfall, yet summer demand is highest when rainfall is lowest. During this time, residential water use can increase by up to 60 percent, largely due to outdoor watering.

Managing water wisely is not only the City’s responsibility — it’s something we all share.

Small changes at home can make a big difference. Many households can reduce water use by up to 40 percent, helping ensure a more reliable supply, lowering treatment and pumping costs, and reducing strain on wastewater systems. When the community works together, even small actions add up to meaningful savings.

Following outdoor water restrictions each spring and summer is an important part of responsible water use. More information on restrictions and what each stage means is available at: https://cranbrook.ca/water-conservation/outdoor-water-restrictions. 

Looking ahead, we will continue to highlight how Asset Management shapes and directs the work we do. You’ll learn about how it influences our decisions around our roads; City buildings and facilities; our fleet and equipment and our spray irrigation site and lagoons. We’ll also continue to share some great successes we’ve had and how these efforts have helped us develop better processes and work more efficiently for you.