Kootenay Water Quality Questioned....Again

The Valley Voice - May 8, 2008 - "Interior Health speaks to RDCK about new water regulations". Concerns about the availability for safe drinking water have finally made it to the Kootenays in the form of the new Drinking Water Protection Act. The latest statistics show there are 72 Boil Water Advisories in Kootenay/Boundary, 50-60% of the region's water users are on surface water systems and most systems in the region use no water treatment or only one treatment system. It was also noted that many people get their water from Kootenay Lake, a body of water into which more and more septic system effluent is ending up in the Lake and where the is more boat traffic. Some of that traffic is discharging waste water into the Lake.

RDCK Lifts Moratorium

The Valley Voice - May 8, 2008 - "RDCK Votes in water and sewer acquisition policy". Residents will know that RDCK has had a moratorium on taking over community water and sewer systems. Late in April, the Regional District started a process that will eventually lift that moratorium. Details are still to come, but basically RDCK would take over ownership of the system and all assets for $1. Users of the system would have to agree to pay the rates established by the engineering report.