Editor:
The following letter was addressed to Sunshine Coast Regional District directors and shared with Coast Reporter.
In late May, our shíshálh neighbours presented a concept to local governments to build two water reservoirs on or near their mine site, to be used to store raw water for treatment to become drinking water.
Since then, I understand the SCRD has jointly applied with the shíshálh for grant funding from the federal government to cover an undisclosed portion of the capital costs for this proposed project. And late last week, I read that the SCRD board approved providing a further letter of support for another funding application – this time to the Province, for some sort of interim funding for an part of the project.
What is surprising is that all of these initiatives have been done without the SCRD board and the public receiving any technical information on this project from the shíshálh or their technical consultants. No feasibility studies, no operating cost projections, and no details of the capital costs and works involved!
I find this concerning since the SCRD has received reports from third party experts showing the proposed reservoirs are too small for the Coast’s needs. Also, I assume the Board is aware that the proposed site is downhill from a long standing biosolids application area and is within an authorized waste management site? For a project so large, it is inexplicable that these issues have not been raised by the SCRD directors. And that they have not directed the SCRD staff to obtain much more information.
I congratulate the shíshálh for identifying this as a potential solution. And I look forward to them presenting the details of these proposals to local governments and the public so we can make an informed decision on which of the various options is the best solution to provide for our long-term water supply needs.
Sincerely,
John R. Henderson, Sechelt
