Editor:
Once again, SCRD officials blame water rationing on “the drought.” The definition of drought is “a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.” Our annual rainfall has actually been above the long-term average since 2009 according to vancouver.weatherstats.ca. In four of these years we have suffered under SCRD water rationing. SCRD is running out of water during a deluge, not a drought.
The SCRD Comprehensive Regional Water Plan defines a “drought” as a “once in 25 years” event. But SCRD has used “drought” as an excuse for water rationing three times in four years.
A water system has three components: storage, treatment and distribution. Storage capacity needs to match demand over periods when use is expected to exceed catchment. Like every summer. Managing water supply means providing this storage. The SCRD has failed to provide adequate storage. They have failed to meet their own Mission Statement and Strategic Plan for years.
We are being subjected to water rationing because of long-term government mismanagement, not reduced rainfall. The “drought excuse” is wearing thin.
Providing drinking water is not rocket science. The Romans figured it out 2,000 years ago. The SCRD’s failure to duplicate Roman success is not due to rampant development (one per cent population growth per year) or to drought. It is due to long-term incompetence on the part of the SCRD.
Less hot air. More water, please.
Bruce Woodburn, Sandy Hook
