The City of Kamloops operates a water utility that provides water to its residents spread over 300 km2 and an elevation range of up to 550 m. 

Major components of the water supply system consist of the river intake and low lift pump station, the Kamloops Centre for Water Quality, the River Street high lift pump station, the distribution system, and the North Thompson emergency water intake.

The transmission and distribution of water throughout this system is considered the most complex system in Canada. The potable water distribution system is divided into 69 pressure zones within three sectors: north, south, and southeast. The pressure zones range in elevation from approximately 350 m in the valley to 900 m in the upper areas. Pumping treated water to higher pressure zones results in the system being a large consumer of energy relative to other municipalities.