More people than in the past four years combined showed up for South Pender Harbour Waterworks District's (SPHWD) recent annual general meeting. Questions and discussion about the potential impacts of Pan Pacific Aggregates' (PPA) proposed mining operation in the Caren Range were put off until a public meeting in Pender Harbour soon (date and location to be announced) to discuss the issue. The South Pender water board has sent a letter to the Ministry of Energy and Mines regarding PPA's proposed mining, SPHWD chair Richard Frappier told the crowd of 89 ratepayers and 16 observers in the Pender Harbour Community Hall April 26. "The board knows the mining is an issue and we are planning a meeting with Pan Pacific," Frappier announced.
The letter, which was copied to the B.C. Envir-onmental Assessment Office (EAO) and PPA, asks that the province inform SPHWD of any scientific findings coming out of the EAO process that could potentially impact its water supply."The safety of our drinking water is paramount," the SPHWD board's letter states. "We were elected to safeguard the District's water system and we take the job seriously. We are reasonable people and therefore have reasonable concerns about factors affecting the District's water supply."
Frappier announced SPHWD had already issued the letter, when responding to Ted Taylor's request at the meeting that the board send a letter to the province asking for a study of the mine's potential impacts.
PPA representatives were in the audience, but other than Taylor's comment, no questions were brought up about PPA during new business. At the end of the meeting, ratepayers cast their ballots to elect two board trustees. Frappier was re-elected with 50 votes. Taylor was elected with 46 votes. Incumbent Rob Haines received 43 votes and Rob Metcalfe 30 votes. The board staggers its re-election of trustees. After the meeting, Frappier said in his next three-year term he wants to continue to serve the community and supply good drinking water.
Taylor said he hopes to look at the mining issue and to take a serious look at merging with the newly-merged Garden Bay Waterworks District and Sunshine Coast Regional District's Hotel Lake systems.
The board is planning to do a feasibility study on the benefits of joining the SCRD's system. SPHWD has been undertaking a source-to-tap water study, the results of which will be made public when ready.
Concern was raised from the audience about the quality of SPHWD's drinking water. Frappier responded that Vancouver Coastal Health's drinking water officer Tim Adams tests SPHWD's water every second week. SPHWD administrator Bobbi Bennett said a three-page list of the water's mineral content is available at the water district's office.
"If [the minerals] were dangerous, Tim would shut us down," Bennett said. The board expects to start up a website to publish the results of any water tests, Frappier said during the meeting. Frappier also announced the water district remains free of debt.
