Editor:
Re: “Water supply, snowpack better than last year,” Coast Reporter, May 13.
I find the remarks made by the director for Elphinstone (Area E) somewhat bizarre. Taking pleasure in the potential opportunity to shortchange citizens of water for such things as their vegetable gardens this summer is unbecoming of an SCRD director. The director for Elphinstone is quoted as being “pleased to have one more opportunity to vote against” the Chapman Lake access expansion project. To the director I ask: In the 11 years that you have sat in a director’s chair at the SCRD, what have you championed (other than water meters) as a better alternative to removing more water from Chapman Creek? It is not enough to say no.
The Elphinstone director further makes comment that the SCRD, way back in the 1970s, created a water system for only residential use. No consideration for providing water to farmers growing local produce was given. How bizarre to single out an important part of our community in this manner. To the director I ask: Where are the facts to back up making this comment? The water shortage we endured last summer was not the fault of those who provide healthy vegetables to the community, or the SCRD staff and directors who had the vision to provide water from the Chapman 40-odd years ago.
When one considers the pressures global warming, rapidly increasing population, backyard pools, backyard ponds, and golf courses have placed on our water supply, it is evident that good decisions were made back in the 1970s at the SCRD. Not so much over the past 11 years – eh, director Lewis?
Robert Corlett, Elphinstone
