Summerland WATER

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Salmon Arm Water Group Makes Presentation

A presentation was made to Salmon Arm Municipal Council urging caution against private / public partnerships when dealing with their water utility. An exerpt from the article in the Salmon Arm Observer follows:

"....Ray Morris, speaking on behalf of Kairos, a national coalition of churches and religious organizations that includes local members of the Anglican, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and United churches, brought this message to Salmon Arm council's Nov. 14 meeting. Joining him was Kairos co-chair Mavourneen Reddecliff and spokesperson for the Catholic organization Development & Peace, Teresa McKerral.

Morris urged council to endorse a water declaration that has been supported by 185 Canadian municipalities.

It states: 1) Water is a sacred gift that connects all life; 2) Access to clean water is a basic human right; 3) The value of the Earth's fresh water to the common good takes priority over any possible commercial value; and 4) Fresh water is a shared legacy, a public trust and a collective responsibility.
He noted that the World Bank has usually made privatization a condition of its loans for water services, with strongly negative effects on local populations.

In Canada, he said the most dramatic example of privatization took place in Hamilton, Ont. In 1995, when city council turned its waterworks and sewage treatment operations over to a respected local waste management company. Within a year, half the city's water workers were laid off, he said. The following January, a huge sewage spill flooded 115 homes and businesses and sent 48 million gallons of untreated human waste into the harbour and then into Lake Ontario.

"Ownership of the water company changed hands five times in the first eight years," Morris stated, "and the city is understandably eager to get out of the 20-year contract it signed."
Morris spoke of several other national and international examples.

Morris asked that, at a time when Salmon Arm is going to upgrade its water treatment facilities, "we would urge you very strongly not to consider any form of public-private partnership as a way of raising the necessary capital or keeping the running expenses under control." ...."

Read the full article here...

Monday, November 27, 2006

Water Study Underway

The Okanagan Basin Water Board is in the midst of a $550, 000 Water Supply and Demand Study. The Board has issued a press release regarding this project. The expected completion date is 2008. To me, the findings of this supply and demand study are imperative to Summerland's decision whether or not to pursue an Okanagan Lake source solution to our water supply problems.

The Okanagan Water Stewardship Council is the "think tank" convened by the Okanagan Water Basin Board. Their 2006-07 Work Plan outlines this group's understanding of the water situation in the Okanagan, how it impacts the politics, economy, lifestyle and livability of all residents and a set of proposed topics to cover in discussion. The Council has outlined that "the goal of each discussion should be to share information and highlight potential areas of conflict that need resolution; as well as to identify existing knowledge gaps and feasible actions to move forward".

Friday, November 24, 2006

Convening for Action in the South Okanagan

The RDOS has identified the availability and quality of water as the number one concern of South Okanagan residents. The Water Sustainability Committee of the BC Water and Waste Association initiated a program entitled, Convening for Action in the South Okanagan. This program played a role in bringing together people with knowledge and expertise with those who seek ways to meet present and future water sustainablity challenges in their communities. The purpose of this initiative was to deliver a process where everyone had a chance to speak, see their opinions recorded and be proactively engaged to focus on results. This initiative took place in February 2005 in collaboration with the Town of Oliver.
The Report entitled Moving Towards a Water Balance Way of Thinking and Acting in the South Okanagan is available here...

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Grants for Citizen Action on Water

The Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, a Canadian registered charitable foundation, has initiated a Fresh Water Resources Protection Programme, including grant funding for eligible projects. This Foundation, dedicated "to the development of sound and innovative public policies, has put in place a grant program to support the development of a comprehensive legal, regulatory, and citizen action framework for the purpose of protecting the quality and quantity of fresh water resources for future generations of Canadians. "
The funding they provide through the Fresh Water Resources Protection programme has 3 objectives: Sustainable Watershed Governance, Groundwater Conservation and Transboundary Water Security.
This initiative is worth further investigation by dedicated groups and individuals across Canada.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Two Documents at Sidebar

There are two more documents which are important to any discussion on water in Summerland, the Trout Creek Water Use Agreement and the 2005 Value Engineering Report on possible Water System Upgrades in Summerland. Summerland is finding itself at a point where ANY new development and population growth necessitates additional water as we are currently fully allotted. The critical questions are where will this additional water come from and how will it be paid for. And there is, of course, the reality that all water sources are actually very interconnected. While Okanagan Lake or groundwater may be treated as a separate water source, both are ultimately fed by rain, snow and surface water sources. Declines in one area affect all others.
Research is currently being conducted to address the entire Okanagan Basin as one very interdependent region.

UBC Professor to speak in Naramata

Naramata has experienced it's own fair share of water woes in the past. The Naramata Conservation Initiative will be hosting an informative presentation entitled Adapting to Change - Improving Water Management in the Okanagan.

Water management is a major issue in Naramata and other Okanagan communities. Population growth, land use intensification and climate change are increasingly putting pressure on the water resources. To continue to do business as usual will put us on a collision course. Adaptation is the key and this involves conservation, source water protection, and improving the efficiency on how we use water in the urban and rural environments.
Hans Schreier is a professor at the Institute for Resources and Environment, at the University of British Columbia. He has won international awards for his work in water management and he will be giving a presention outlining not only the problems, but also providing practical ideas on what can be done to minimize the urban impact by innovative storm water management, reducing impervious surfaces and effectivewater conservation.

Where & When: Monday, December 11, at 7.00 pm, at the Loft
Naramata Centre (3rd Street)._

Monday, November 20, 2006

Water-Our Limiting Resource

A conference was held in Kelowna in February of 2005 with an objective of investigating a sustainable approach to Water Management in the Okanagan. This conference was hosted by the B.C. Branch of the Canadian Water Resources Association. Discussions were held over three days, with the summary report available to read.
Among discussion topics was the reality that water resources in the Okanagan Basin are now heavily alloted. In 1974 an extensive study of the Okanagan Water Basin entitled, Main Report of the Consultative Board, was commissioned and out of this report came eleven main recommendations focused on sustainable water management for our valley. Now 31 years later only a few recommendations have been acted on.

How can we begin to change this?

Temperature Rising

The Ministry of Natural Resources Canada has found evidence of climate change effects on the hydrology of streams in south-central B. C. A summary of this information and commentary can be found at their website with the by-line, "Low Water Blues".

Local Climate Change impacts

The Tyee ran several articles on climate change impacts, including "Drying Up in the Okanagan" by Chris Wood. This article was just one in a series called, "Rough Weather Ahead" by Chris Wood covering what British Columbians can expect from global warming. This project was funded by a Tyee Investigative Reporting Fellowship. Chris Wood refers to the Okanagan as the canary in the coal mine for BC and water. Local policy makers and indeed, all residents, need to start thinking and behaving in ways that acknowledge and address this new reality.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Local Research on Climate Change

How Climate Change will eventually affect our region is already a topic of interest and concern among professionals. This report by scientists at our very own Pacific Agri-Food Research Station investigates how the climate changes expected over the next seventy five years will affect agriculture and water availability in our Okanagan Valley. There are also interesting figures relating to the water allotments and consumptions from Vernon to Osoyoos. I found the conclusions drawn on pages 27 and 30 to be of particular concern. The authors project that, "For most irrigation purveyors, licensed allocation may be insufficient to accomodate climate change impacts through to the 2080's." This report is a must read.

Summerland and Water

It seems to me that the issue of WATER continues to be of utmost importance when people talk about growth or development in Summerland. This topic deserves further investigation and maybe some thoughtful discussion and this is what this blog is all about.

Currently there are two separate parcel taxes which will be taking effect over the next year or two in Summerland, and both of these pertain to our water system. As a community, we are also in the midst of a Dam Expansion Project and our Council is considering a second source of water from Okanagan Lake. A feasability study has just been contracted for this.

System separation, ground water utilization, a second treatment plant...... the list goes on and on.

And this doesn't even begin to address how Summerland fits into the bigger picture of the Okanagan Water Basin.

How Climate change will affect the valley's water sources is another factor to consider.

These topics will be the focus of this blog. Watch for information from a variety of sources and lots of food for thought.