RDN/CVRD 'Resident's Committee on Water' Hosts Government Experts at Cedar Meeting


Cedar - "Water is vital to our growth and prosperity," according to Cedar farmer Laurie Gourlay. "And our local watershed supplies this area and the region with "Nanaimo's most precious resource."
www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Engineering~Public~Works/Water~Services/Water~Supply/OurMostPreciousResource.pdf

"And so the Residents Committee on Water, for the rural region between Nanaimo's Harbour and Ladysmith Harbour, has organized meetings with provincial and regional experts to discuss water quality and supply challenges we all face."

The new 'Residents Committee on Water', working with the Mid Island Sustainability and Stewardship Initiative, expect to hear about growth and development planning that will incorporate local residents needs for a secure water supply, with that of regional interests of the CVRD and RDN to meet the growing demands of Ladysmith and Nanaimo.

The two local organizations will host the RDN's manager for water, and the manager of the regional growth strategy, at their next public meeting - Tuesday, May 17th, 7:00 pm, at the Cedar Heritage Centre. "A power point presentation, and Q&A session, will provide residents of this inter-regional area of the CVRD/RDN with a chance to learn, and to ask questions," says Gourlay.

"And," Gourlay adds, "a member of the group will also report on her recent tour of the Yellow Point aquifer's water supply and well on Woodley Range and our options to work with the RDN, to begin developing a private well monitoring program in cooperation with the Residents Committee on Water."

Both a recent RDN report, and a provincial Ministry of Environment report this past winter, revealed that the Yellow Point aquifer has been depleted by 13 metres since 2000; and both the Yellow Point aquifer and adjacent Cassidy aquifers have been identified as vulnerable to contamination.

"Local residents have become concerned about the groundwater recharge problems, as well as competing demands from the aquifers they depend on for their daily home and farm needs," Gourlay states. "Reports from Vancouver Island University and private consultants, as well as the RDN's recent cautionary notes, that the 'Yellow Point aquifer is ...a very 'low producing aquifer' with 'low permeability' and 'low porosity' (and) a limited ability to store and produce water,' have led people to realize they need to become informed and involved."

http://www.rdn.bc.ca/cms.asp?wpID=2413

Gourlay says that the two groups will also also host a public meeting with a representative from the BC Ministry of Environment, responsible for Water Stewardship, at their June meeting - Tuesday, June 21st Cedar Heritage Centre, 7:00 pm.

The water and growth meetings are open to everyone, free of charge, and will be held at the Cedar Heritage Centre, 1644 MacMillan Road, Cedar - Tuesday May 17 & June 22, 7-8:30pm.

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Contact:

Laurie Gourlay, President - MISSI (250 722-3444)