Editor:
This summer my lawn was a crispy, tinder dry swath around my house. A mere spark could have engulfed my home in flames within seconds. This dangerous situation was the result of the SCRD policy to keep our lawns golden during the worst wildfire season in B.C. history.
But, according to the B.C. government’s FireSmart Protection Plan, “Grass within 10 metres of buildings should be mowed and watered.”
What the SCRD does, by insisting that lawns must be golden, is endanger the lives of residents and our firefighters.
Currently our fire rating is high, at the beginning of the rainy season, because we have no reserved water for fighting fires. Stage 4 water restrictions showcase the unwillingness of the SCRD to take responsibility for the problems created by decades of disinterest in water supply management.
Apparently, leaks identified with water meters saved “788,000 litres per day in the Chapman system” and yet we are in Stage 4 water restrictions complete with warnings, penalties, spies and patrols to threaten and intimidate taxpayers: “The SCRD is encouraging residents to report infractions of outdoor watering to the SCRD. Water patrols will be done and SCRD staff will visit those who have been reported violating the water restrictions. First-time offenders will be given a warning and information and repeat offenders will be fined $400.”
It’s insulting. The SCRD cannot continue to blame homeowners when there are many factors involved in water use, including tourism, housing developments approved beyond our service capability, SCRD incompetence, and inane policies that allow power washing of driveways for resealing in hot weather.
Infrastructure is needed to retain our plentiful water supply at the source. The SCRD Board of Directors must think beyond the short-term fixes and prioritize the implementation of a permanent solution.
Kathy Para, Gibsons
