West Cambie Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
86.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.12
energy & soap waste
Source: Health Canada Water Quality · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In West Cambie, your appliances are currently losing 6% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In West Cambie | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -5% |
| Washing Machine | 11.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -1% |
| Water Heater | 13.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -8% |
Regional Water Comparison
How West Cambie compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ West Cambie, British Columbia | 45 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Brighouse-City Centre, British Columbia | 29 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Richmond, British Columbia | 4 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| East Cambie, British Columbia | 45 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Marpole, British Columbia | 44.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
National Benchmark
How West Cambie compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ West Cambie | 45 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes West Cambie's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
West Cambie's drinking water is managed by the City of Richmond, purchasing bulk supply from Metro Vancouver (GVWD) — sourced from the Capilano, Seymour, and Coquitlam mountain watersheds. Water is treated at the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant using ozonation, biofiltration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, fully meeting the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ). Hardness in the West Cambie distribution sub-zone is 45 mg/L (2.6 gpg) — classified as soft by Health Canada, at the softer end of the Richmond Metro Vancouver supply range.
West Cambie (a neighbourhood in central Richmond along the West Cambie Road and the Cambie Garden community — a large-scale new residential development on the west side of the Cambie Road corridor in Richmond's inner city, adjacent to the Shell Road corridor and the Richmond Centre shopping precinct, home to a predominantly Chinese-Canadian community attracted by Richmond's proximity to Vancouver International Airport and the major food and retail corridors of No. 3 Road and Cambie) shows 45 mg/L — at the softer end of the Richmond distribution range (44.5–86 mg/L from reference data), consistent with a central Richmond inner-city sub-zone receiving the Metro Vancouver Capilano-Seymour supply with minimal mineral accumulation at this specific distribution point.
With 45 mg/L, West Cambie homes are essentially scale-free — occasional kettle cleaning every three months is adequate. Hot water tanks have an excellent operational lifespan. The City of Richmond provides water quality information at richmond.ca. Health Canada lead precautionary guidance applies to older pre-1975 properties in the established Richmond residential area.
Geology & Source: Supplied by the City of Richmond from Metro Vancouver (GVWD) reservoir water — the West Cambie Richmond distribution sub-zone carries soft water at 45 mg/L (2.6 gpg), at the softer end of the Richmond Metro Vancouver supply range.