Water Filtration is not the only solution

Instead of reinventing the wheels, I am publishing an article from the 'Lake Country Calendar' on this issue. If you wish to comment or if you have any questions or you wish to discuss this further, I will be happy to do so. You can contact me at administrator@lakecountry.bc.ca

Here's the article:

"High cost makes water filtration a pipe dream, by Chris Law

As 2015 draws nearer, municipal planning staff in Okanagan communities are bracing for a potential hit to their capital works budgets. That is the year that the Health Officer is requesting water systems falling within the jurisdiction of the Interior Health Authority (IHA) to implement water filtration in their infrastructure.

At the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention last week, Lake Country met with Minister of Healthy Living, Ida Chong, to discuss the Health Officer’s request and the local concerns that the issue raises.

For Lake Country water filtration could cost anywhere from $60 million to $100 million according to Alberto De Feo, Chief Administrative Officer for the District.

“At our meeting we told the ministry that we don’t have the funding available for filtration and that we have other capital projects that are equally as important,” said De Feo.

Further complicating the matter, is the fact that other health officers in the province do not require filtration to meet a standard of water quality. De Feo says there are other ways to achieve an acceptable level of quality.

“Our water is not bad, the pathogens are far below the permitted level,” says De Feo.

In a press release, Coun Guenther echoed De Feo’s sentiments.

“A glass of water in Lake Country is the same as a glass of water in any other part of the province,” said Guenther.

Acknowledging the irrationality of allowing different water quality standards to exist in different parts of the province, Chong said her ministry would work with IHA and the other health authorities to develop a fair solution to the issue."

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