Murrayville Pumphouse Water Quality

The Murrayville Pumphouse, also known as the Five Corners Well, was built in 1928 and designated as an official heritage site by Township of Langley Council in 2004. Originally supplying water to the Belmont School and the former municipal hall, the pump was shut off permanently in 1982 when the school joined the municipal water supply system. Despite no longer being used for drinking water, water from the well continued to flow from the pumphouse and the public could access the well water from an exterior pipe.

Recently, concerns were brought forward regarding the well water. While municipal water in the Township is a mixture of locally-sourced groundwater and surface water from a Metro Vancouver reservoir, groundwater from this well is not considered part of the municipal water supply. The well’s water is not tested for water quality parameters and has not been considered safe to drink.

To address concerns, the Township engaged professional services to assess the quality of water flowing from the pumphouse. Testing results indicated elevated levels of arsenic in the water, exceeding the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. With this confirmation, the flow from the pumphouse was redirected to restrict access to the water for public health and safety. Updated signage advising the public not to consume the water was posted on the pumphouse.

Township staff, with the assistance of a qualified professional, are working to find the best long-term solution for the well, including (but not limited to) water treatment, continuing to restrict public access, or decommissioning the well. None of the proposed options include decommissioning the heritage structure. Every option will consider social, heritage, technical, regulatory, and economic factors. Results and recommendations for future management of the well and pumphouse will follow the completion of the study.

Engineering Division
604-532-7300
opsinfo@tol.ca