Editor:
Normally, October has 15 days of rain, but this year that almost doubled to 28. The previous record of 26 days of rain in October was set in 1967 and 1985, and this November, often the rainiest month of the year, promises more of the same. So with the announcement that water meters are now being installed in my neighbourhood, I want to know this: is the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) conserving any of this winter rainfall bounty?
The SCRD asks us to conserve water in the driest months of the year and yet, in the wettest months, when we have more water falling from the sky than could possibly be used, our elected government has next to nothing in place to conserve, collect or otherwise store the deluge of winter rainfall. In a world where water is precious, the SCRD lets eight months’ worth of rainwater, approximately 4.5 feet, run into the ocean.
With the approval of the Woodfibre LNG plant, a bridge or road to the Lower Mainland will not be far behind. This will bring more people, and more demand on our water infrastructure. Water meters are not the best way to deal with this issue. It’s a knee-jerk solution more suited for dry climates. Water meters don’t belong in a rainforest. Proper management of our abundant natural resource does. Only pressure on our elected officials will ensure that the bounty the SCRD chooses to waste in the winter will become a steady supply of tap water throughout the year.
Kathy Para, Gibsons
