NOTE FROM SENDER: Shawnigan Lake residents have been experiencing ongoing problems with urban sprawl/real estate developments in their
watershed affecting the quality and viability of the drinking water from Shawnigan Lake. Unfortunately, Lillian Barton is just one lone voice in a community of residents who are woefully unaware or unconcerned with the potential dangers to their
watershed.

Lake water needs more consideration
The Citizen
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010

So what if forestry on Renfrew road gets rezoned from F-1 (Primary Forestry) to F-3 (Forestry Resource) or a bylaw in the Official Community Plan is revised to permit it.

It doesn't make much difference to me living closer to Shawnigan Lake...or does it?

But rezoning F1 to a new designation F3 will permit larger forestry tracts to be broken down into smaller pieces, sold and developed for housing which will increase population density. So why is this a problem?

Particularly within the watershed, increased housing density including the new roads with their pollution, reduces the number of trees and contributes overall to poor Lake water quality; in addition available well water is reduced. Trees help to keep our water clean and forests are a renewable resource if houses are not built on them. Short term gain by developers who may lack foresight must be guided by those with a greater knowledge of the Shawnigan Lake area.

Dr. Asit Muzumder, UVIC international water expert, has discussed his 10-year research on Shawnigan Lake water quality with area B residents. With every new house added to the watershed water quality is diminished. Caffeine and pharmaceuticals are the biomarkers used to measure Shawnigan Lake quality; imagine how they enter drinking water. No septic system is 100 per cent failsafe nor can all household pollutants be controlled. Greater density means more contaminants in the water supply.

Shawnigan Lake is "an unprotected source of drinking water that is affected by logging, permanent and summer homes, agriculture and various recreational activities." So the Renfrew road rezoning into smaller lots, seemingly miles away, is relevant.

The provincial government recently admitted the quantity and quality of ground water in B.C. is unknown. Our primary drinking water source is at the mercy of each development.

If changes to the Official Community Plan and rezoning occur they are much harder to rescind. Diligence on the part of elected officials and the community must hold clean water as the benchmark for every decision.

As Shawnigan Lake residents, we need to preserve our water supply and natural beauty and keep development to a minimum rather than feel pressured by developers or obligated to provide affordable housing for Victoria.

Property values will only increase, and the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the density will not be added to our property taxes.

L. Barton,
Shawnigan Lake

© Cowichan Valley Citizen 2010