and it's not the smell of chlorine from the tap.
Consider this: Greater Vernon's Master Water Plan, whose $70 million funding was rejected by voters, is touted by the regional district as a great benefit to the area because it uses two sources...Kalamalka Lake and what has irreverently been called Duteau Slough by a member of the public at the recent Schubert Centre public information session. Yet our area's largest water body--Okanagan Lake--where the majority of Kelowna's water originates, is not considered as an option.
"We have not done any water quality studies on the north end of Okanagan Lake," general manager of engineering Dale McTaggart was quoted as saying. (Morning Star, May 29/15).
Huh?
And no hint as to why--both in the 2002 Master Water Plan or in the current one--was provided by RDNO boss Sewell's 9-page powerpoint presentation to Greater Vernon Advisory Committee members, thrust upon the May 28th meeting, entitled Master Water Plan Objectives, referring to its development and included "Process" and "Technical Memorandum"(sic) (10 Memoranda) stating that "Multiple Options (had been) Reviewed and Costed".
If multiple options were reviewed and costed, where are the water quality studies on the north end of Okanagan Lake over the years as part of that process? Technical Memorandum 2, the 25-page report entitled Evaluation of Water Supply Sources states:
"Okanagan Lake abuts into the west end of the City of Vernon and is likely the largest and most reliable future source of water to meet the long term growth of the Greater Vernon area.
It is the primary water source for the cities of Kelowna and Penticton,
as well as a number of smaller centres."
It was felt that GVW had adequate water available in its existing water sources.
Any additional water sourcing would be available off Okanagan Lake.
Felt?
So is it a result of the left-leaning Okanagan Basin Water Board's declaration that residents of the Okanagan--one of the driest areas of Canada--were using more than twice the Canadian average that made GVW's officials decide they wanted us to conserve existing supplies versus accessing new supplies? Some reports indicate that a 40 per cent reduction in household water use could be achieved...all without accessing additional water licenses.
Climate change threats serve to underscore the OBWB's warnings, and their document, the 52-page Local Government User Guide, the Okanagan Water Supply and Demand Project, likely reassured bureaucrats that Okanagan Lake would not need to be accessed.
The "implication of potential transfers of ... licenses to Kalamalka Lake and Okanagan is discussed in more detail", and refers to the 33-page Technical Memorandum No. 3 - Source Storage and Supply.
So who gets the blame for using an 18-foot deep unfenced upland slough for GVW's water supply?
So who gets the blame for not focusing on line-twinning back in 2002 under the now-abandoned original 2002 master water plan?
So who gets the blame for misleading Greater Vernon Advisory Committee members...our elected officials...all along during this entire process?
The bureaucracy at RDNO.
The water engineers.
The engineers of the public's water purse.
Yup, something stinks all right.
"But the blue-box graphics in Sewell's 9-page presentation were very pretty," offers Kia.
Blue boxes belong at the curb.
Yes please, let's bring on the "INDEPENDENT" review! NO ONE in their RIGHT MIND will ever again suggest Okanagan Lake as a source of good, clean water!
ReplyDeleteHere are the facts on Okanagan Lake water (that you don't need to pay a consultant to tell you):
1. In the City of Vernon alone around Okanagan Lake, there are still 1,100 homes on septic.
2. There is no sewer on the westside of the lake - so how many other homes are on septic, maintained or not, or simply flushing it all straight in?
3. The water quality in the Kin arm of the lake is terrible - nutrient-loaded and filthy from uncontrolled runoff. There is no stormwater utility mitigating these impacts on the lake. Ever wonder why does the milfoil grow so??
4. And don't forget, the sewer outfall pipe!
Source water protection for Okanagan Lake will bankrupt us, long before building the ALWAYS-REQUIRED Filtration Plant at Duteau Creek.
And speaking of wasting money... If we had built the filter at the same time as the clarification plant, as it was supposed to have been done, it would have cost us $10 million. Ten years on, $20 million. Now, in 2012 dollars, $26.5 million, and who knows how much when IHA finally orders us to do it.
So the question that should be asked of our politicians is: why do we keep deferring this necessary project?
$26.5 million sounds like a lot of money, but it is still the smallest investment we can make to bring our system into compliance with provincial standards.