Learn About Water
The City of Richmond not only provides a steady, safe supply of high-quality drinking water, it also provides education about our water, where it comes from, how it gets to our taps – and, critically, how we can conserve it.
Project WET
Project WET is an interactive elementary school science program aimed at educating students about the importance of water in the City of Richmond and in their lives.
In partnership with Richmond elementary school teachers and City Public Works staff, this program for Grades 4 through 7 students is designed to inform, entertain and educate students on the importance of water quality, conservation and supply. The acronym “WET” stands for “Water Education Team” and the event’s main objective is to promote higher-level thinking skills while learning about the fundamentals of water quality, water consumption and waste in an interactive and fun environment.
Students whose schools participate in the highly anticipated annual event are invited to the City of Richmond's Works Yard for a half-day field trip that consists of interactive, fun and hands-on stations. Class registration is required. While, indeed, getting wet, students learn about:
- Water sampling and quality testing
- The importance of fire hydrants and how they work
- The uses of watermains, automatic flushing units, valves and meters
- Inspection camera technology
- Storm sewer pipes and systems
- Pump stations and how they work
- How our dikes help to keep our island afloat
- Richmond’s emergency water treatment trailer
Interactive displays include information about:
- Water distribution system
- Water meters
- Fire hydrants and valves
- Water locating technologies
- Storm and sanitary systems and pump stations
- Environmental programs
Waterwise Demonstration Garden
The City of Richmond’s Waterwise Demonstration Garden acts as a resource for residents, providing tips on how they can reduce their water usage and still have beautiful, healthy gardens, lawns and landscapes. The garden shows a variety of plants that residents and businesses can use in their landscaping that are drought-tolerant and do not require a lot of water to grow and thrive in our climate. The garden also offers lawn maintenance tips, and provides information on micro-irrigation with different ways and systems of watering plants, such as driplines, bubblers, micro-sprays and others.
The Waterwise Demonstration Garden is located in Terra Nova Rural Park and is open year-round for those looking for useful information on reducing their water consumption.
Watershed Tours
Ever wonder where your water comes from? Metro Vancouver manages three protected watersheds to provide 2.5 million residents (and growing) with a clean, reliable and affordable supply of drinking water. Every summer, Capilano and Coquitlam Watersheds are open to the public and accessible by guided tours, where you can see what makes your water world class. Visit Metro Vancouver for more information.
Community Connections
Community Connections Articles
Power Washing Our Pipes
Pipes Are Really About People
Pipe Repair in the Air
Kids Soak Up Big Ideas at Project WET
Community Connections: Watermain Replacement Project
In the winter of 2023, Richmond city staff connected with students from Maple Lane Elementary to explain the process and importance of the watermain replacement project along Petts’s Road.
Community Connections: Flood Protection
In the summer of 2023, Richmond city staff connected with the students of Blair Elementary School to explain the importance of flood protection by touring the dike and then designing, building and testing their own model dikes.
Community Connections: Drainage and Asphalt Upgrades Project
In the fall of 2022 Richmond city staff connected with students from Errington Elementary by pulling the veil from the construction fencing to reveal and explain the important drainage and asphalt laneway upgrades to a neighbouring Reeder Road laneway.
