Two days with welcome rainfall during the third week of July provided limited benefits to the Sunshine Coast Regional District’s (SCRD) most stressed water systems according to the water update delivered at a July 27 SCRD committee meeting.
Rain and other sources holds Chapman at Stage 2
In that presentation, utilities department manager Shane Walkey highlighted that about 47 millimetres of rain fell in the Chapman watershed area on July 24 and 25. The moisture, he reported, contributed to the delay of the call for Stage 3 water restrictions for the Chapman water system.
“Conservation efforts now can help reduce or delay the likelihood of us needing to go to Stage 3 or 4,” he said, noting that continued warm and sunny weather in August will be a major determinant of when further restrictions will come into effect.
The rain temporarily bolstered Chapman Lake and creek levels but did not increase turbidity levels at Gray Creek. That has allowed continued use of that creek’s water flows.
With supplies from those sources supported by the rainfall, the Church Road Well Field, added as a system supply source on July 11, was shut down on July 27, according to an email from chief administrative officer Dean McKinley. Between July 16 and 22, water from that source had accounted for about 3,400 cubic metres a day, or 19 per cent of the total system intake.
Re-start for that supply is planned for Aug. 3.
McKinley noted that the shut down allowed addressing of what staff characterized as “kinks” in the newly constructed well field infrastructure. Those included replacement of a failed electrical contact, resizing of injection lines as well as adjustments to pressure-releasing valves and pumps.
“Whenever bringing a new water source online, there will always be a period of learning and optimization. There have been a couple of modifications required to improve efficiency,” he wrote.
On May 11, the well field project contractor, Maycon Construction Management advised the SCRD in writing of issues relating pumping equipment at the site, which would nullify warranties on certain components. McKinley has not commented on whether those have been resolved. In a July 27 email, he stated that no pump failures had been experienced.
Eastbourne moved to Stage 4
In the update, Walkey indicated a move to Stage 4 restrictions for the Eastbourne Water System on Keats Island was anticipated (which became a reality as of Aug. 1). He noted that level of restriction has been the norm for those properties during recent summer seasons.
A report on test drilling of new groundwater supplies for that system which had been slated to come before the board on July 27 was rescheduled to a September meeting.
South Pender remains at Stage 3
In the final days of July, SCRD staff were set to venture on foot from McNeill Lake, the South Pender Water System’s primary water source, inland to Harris Lake, according to Walkey. They were slated to carry in “shovels and hip waders” to undertake clearing work on the channel to increase the feed flow into McNeill.
He said staff are preparing to apply to the province for an adjustment to the SCRD’s water licences for those lakes to increase the daily limit that is allowed to be drawn. “In 2024” was the earliest date he anticipated any licence adjustments would be considered.
