Meeting Focuses On Water Quality

The Township of Spallumcheen is meeting with officials from the Ministry of Environment on Wednesday to talk about the Hullcar aquifer.

Mayor Janice Brown says the township is looking at various ideas including the township’s waste water-sewer plan

“Just so we can give them some solutions and ideas. Maybe there is something we can do with manure as well as other solids,” Brown tells Kiss FM.

Brown thinks there’s a solution out there if everyone can put their heads together and discuss ideas.

Brown says the Ministry has agreed to discuss ideas on how to deal with large commercial farms.

She pointed to a composting program Sun Peaks is involved with.

“Sun Peaks has modulars come in, and they can bring in modular things that process that.”

Brown says it’s likely going to come down to getting farmers to realize they have to find other ways to get rid of their manure, besides putting it in the ground and putting it over water.

A provincial government team has been identifying the sources of pollutants, assessing a variety of approaches to resolve the water quality issue, and monitoring activities above the aquifer.

The aquifer is a source of drinking water for the Steele Springs Waterworks District, a small water system located within the Township of Spallumcheen which serves about 150 residents, through 57 connections.

Interior Health says there is another 22 private water wells, which draw water from the Hullcar aquifer and are not connected to the Steele Springs Waterworks system.