Provincial Rural Area Directors meeting WATER

We presently have many small water systems in the North Shuswap that are being taken to task and are expected to upgrade their water systems, at a very high cost. In some areas of BC the upgrades for small water systems have gone as high as a million dollars for 30 to 50 people. Clearly this would put an unbearable expense on most people or communities. The discussion at this meeting was  about making special rules for small older water systems, and making it affordable.

  Water issues vary in different areas in the province. Impacts on water systems and water itself can arise from:

a)      rural roads, dikes, small water system

b)       conflict from gravel pits and residents

c)        unsafe dams

d)       upgrades for more power in dam

e)      the need to prepare for regular droughts/floods

f)        water distribution

g)       losing water sovereignty

h)      promoting and protecting food security

            i)       banning light bulbs that have mercury from entering ground water.

  As well, making decisions on electrical power creation should have input from rural areas  in the final stages (so they can have input on the effects it would have to their water). You can see it is a diverse and long list of discussion when it comes to water.  The BC government is in the process of making changes to the Water Act.
Comments on the enclosed Policy Proposal on British Columbia’s New Water Sustainability Act
can be submitted by email to livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca or by fax to 250 356-1202.  

I have been informed that the new deadline for the submission of comments on
the proposed Water Sustainability Act policy proposal is now March 14th.
For way to much information on the Water Act :
http://www.livingwatersmart.ca/water-act/