Updated September 2026
Short answer: Many waterfront homes are on Greater Vernon Water, but some draw water from the lake or a well, and parts of Okanagan Landing, Coldstream and most rural lakeshore use septic. Private lake water should be treated and tested. A licensed water right passes with the land, but the seller must notify the Province before completion. Septic dispersal fields must be at least 30 m from the lake under current standards.
Municipal water
Greater Vernon Water (run by the Regional District of North Okanagan) serves Vernon, Coldstream and nearby areas. Its sources are Duteau Creek and Kalamalka Lake, through the Mission Hill treatment plant. When spring runoff clouds Kal Lake, the system sometimes switches to Duteau Creek for a while. Two small utilities (Outback and Delcliffe) draw from Okanagan Lake.
Private lake intakes
- You can use unrecorded lake water for household purposes without a licence, but you may have to prove it's unrecorded. A water licence gives you more security.
- A licence stays with the land. The seller must give written notice of the sale to the Province before completing. Get the licence number and confirm the notice was sent.
- Interior Health says surface water should be disinfected and tested, and the homeowner is responsible for its safety. During a blue-green algae bloom, use another source; boiling won't remove the toxins.
- Inspect the intake line, foot valve, pump house, heat tracing and treatment system (filters, UV, chlorination).
Septic near the lake
Under BC's Sewerage System Standard Practice Manual, minimum distances include:
| From | Dispersal field | Tank |
|---|---|---|
| Lake (mean high water mark) | 30 m | 10 m |
| Surface drinking-water source or intake line | 30 m | 15 m |
| Domestic well | 30 m | 30 m |
Many older lakefront systems were built before these standards. Have a registered onsite wastewater practitioner inspect the system, pump and scope the tank, and check its filing with Interior Health.
The Okanagan Landing sewer program
The City of Vernon is extending sanitary sewer into un-serviced parts of Okanagan Landing in phases. Properties pay the Okanagan Landing sanitary sewer municipal fee and arrange their own connection. If you're buying in the Landing, ask whether the home is connected, when sewer is planned for that street, and what the connection would cost.
Frequently asked questions
Can I drink water from Okanagan Lake or Kalamalka Lake at my cottage?
Interior Health advises that private surface-water sources be disinfected and regularly tested at an approved lab. The owner is responsible for safe drinking water.
Does a water licence transfer when I buy a waterfront home?
Yes, an appurtenant water licence passes with the land, but the seller must notify the Province in writing before the sale completes.
Is Okanagan Landing on sewer?
Partly. The City is phasing sewer into the remaining un-serviced areas, so some properties are still on septic.
Sources: Greater Vernon Water, Water Sustainability Act, FrontCounter BC: domestic use of water, Interior Health drinking water, Sewerage System Standard Practice Manual v3, City of Vernon sewer fee.