B.C.’s water supply may be under more threat than we think, so the government needs to take action, says a new study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Analyst Ben Parfitt says the province has to tighten its reporting requirements for water use, and charge more for it.

"We’ve got a population that is continuing to grow, we've got increasing industrial demands for water, and we're starting to see the impacts of climate change. And all three of those things dictate, I think, that we pay closer attention to how we manage these resources."

The study calls for accurate, timely reports on water use by major consumers, appropriate pricing, the promotion of conservation, and better protection of watershed lands.