‘I’m very angry’: Deep Bay residents under boil water advisory

by Dean Stoltz
January 21, 2025 6:02 pm

The Vancouver Island community of Deep Bay is nestled on the shores of Georgia Strait — and while people love the ocean, they also really like the drinking water here.

“It’s ideal for brewing beer. It’s one of the reasons I came here, so we have pristine water,” said Martin Martens, who has lived in Deep Bay for almost two decades.

“It’s a wonderful community.”

But that drinking water is now the subject of a rare boil water advisory for more than 300 homes in the Jamieson Road area.

It was issued by Island Health on Jan. 17 after high levels of coliform bacteria were found.

“I’m very angry, yes,” said resident Susan Mielke.

Locals are mad and blame the Deep Bay Improvement District (DBID).

They say the area under the boil water advisory is served by a water pipe that was moved last fall, when it didn’t need to be.

“Since then we’ve had seven consecutive contamination coliform counts in the neighbourhoods that rely on that pipeline for their water,” said Claire Hilscher, a resident and former trustee.

They say the board of trustees voted to spend more than $700,000 to move the pipe several metres for the benefit of three landowners.

The money, they add, had been saved and earmarked for a new reservoir to replace the current one, which is 50 years old.

“And some new board members were elected and they cancelled that. They cancelled it in favour of what, in my opinion, was a pet project,” added Hilscher.

“This is the wrong application of the funds. The funds really were designated for the reservoir, and to be moved to a project that did not need to be done is, to me, unconscionable, and the public needs to know,” Mielke said.

CHEK News wanted to talk with the board chair or CAO but was told “no comment.”

“DBID trustees have been making decisions that I do not think are in the community’s interests. A lot of people are upset, the community Facebook groups are just abuzz with this news,” Martens added.

“If I was on the board and this happened I would resign. I’d be embarrassed that this happened and I think the entire board should resign and a new one be elected.”

CHEK News has learned the BC Ombudspersons Office launched an investigation last March into procedural conduct of the DBID board, but can’t confirm if it’s been concluded.

“Due to the confidential nature of our complaint handling work, the office is unable to comment on this matter,” stated an office spokesperson.

READ ALSO: Water samples sent to BCCDC amid boil water advisory in Deep Bay
https://cheknews.ca/water-samples-sent-to-bccdc-amid-boil-water-advisory-in-deep-bay-1234961/

https://cheknews.ca/im-very-angry-deep-bay-residents-under-boil-water-advisory-1235098/