FAQ

Whistler Water is different because of the geographical, geological and climatic conditions of our water source.

Whistler Glacial Water is sourced from the ancient glaciers located high in the peaks of the Coast Mountains just north of Whistler, British Columbia. Three major factors combine to create a unique and pristine source of water.

GEOGRAPHY

Whistler Water obtains our water from a unique aquifer located at the foothill of remote mountains that are part of the Pacific Range of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia. The Coast Mountains comprise many of the world’s largest temperate-latitude icecaps and glaciers. Most of the land in the range is tightly controlled Crown Land on which all activities are rigorously regulated by the Provincial Government, keeping both the glacier and the aquifer highly protected from human and industrial contamination.

The Coast Mountains sit at a high altitude where the air is very cold, which is conducive to good water quality. Water sourced from cold climates is less likely to have a microbiological occurrence than water sourced from warm climates where microbes grow more freely.

The Coast Mountains are brim with lush forests where the thick density of trees release a high concentration of oxygen. Brisk winds carry this clean oxygenated air up to the peaks and glaciers of the Coast Mountains to contribute to Whistler Water’s natural taste and purity.

CLIMATE

The Coast Mountains are located high above sea level where the glaciers that top mountain peaks date back millions of years. These glaciers trap water as ice until it melts and flows down into the aquifer. The glaciers keep the frozen water pristine and free from any disturbance, and have done so since the ice age. Today, that water can be found in Whistler Water’s aquifer.

Far from the seashores, the air surrounding the Coastal Mountains is cold and crisp. This ensures that almost all the precipitation that falls in the area is snow, which replenishes the glaciers. With temperatures reaching down to -20° Celsius in the winter, snow turns to ice and the cycle that feeds the Whistler Water aquifer continues.

GEOLOGY

The Coast Mountains are part of the Coast Range Arc, which is a long and large volcanic arc system that is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. This system was created millions of years ago initially by the subduction of the Kula Plate under the Continental Plate followed by a magma intrusion that cooled at depths beneath the volcanoes. These events culminated in the granitic intrusions that today we call the Coast Range Arc.

Virtually the entire glacial watershed from which Whistler Water comes is underlain by a clean grey-white granitic rock. This rock is compact and chemically inert, which ensures the water is flowing through it at a truly glacial pace and is not adversely affected by any dissolved substances of fine particulate matter.

Deeper yet, below the icecaps and granite rock through which Whistler Water flows, lies the heavily compacted granite floor that is the base of Whistler Water’s aquifer. This floor formed millions of years ago when alpine glaciers gathered, shifted and receded resulting in glaciers crashing into everything in their path. As the glaciers descended and piled up, they became heavy and capable of crushing even the strongest granitic rocks into gravel. Today, this heavily compacted granite forms the foundation of Whistler Water’s aquifer.