Those who use Sugar Lake and the Middle Shuswap river will be 
happy to find that a proposal by a local resort to discharge nearly 100,000 litres of effluent per day into the waterways has been crushed. At a meeting on Wednesday, the North Okanagan Regional District (NORD) board passed two new bylaws that prohibit commercial developments from dumping effluent into the western area of NORD. “A guy wanted to expand a resort on 
Sugar Lake – double its size,” said Jerry Oglow, mayor of Armstrong and NORD chairman. “He had commissioned an engineer to come up with a plan to discharge effluent into the water. We weren‘t aware that that method would be used. We though he would use a septic system.” Soon a public campaign was underway to try and stop the effluent discharge system from being built. “The citizens said ’no effluent in Sugar Lake,‘” said Oglow. “It‘s not something the residents wanted.” As opposition to the plan grew, Oglow said that council began looking at the bylaws that applied to the situation. “By this time we had a petition this long,” said Oglow, spreading his arms apart to indicate the large number of signatures. “We found that our bylaws weren‘t particularly clear in this area.”
happy to find that a proposal by a local resort to discharge nearly 100,000 litres of effluent per day into the waterways has been crushed. At a meeting on Wednesday, the North Okanagan Regional District (NORD) board passed two new bylaws that prohibit commercial developments from dumping effluent into the western area of NORD. “A guy wanted to expand a resort on 
Sugar Lake – double its size,” said Jerry Oglow, mayor of Armstrong and NORD chairman. “He had commissioned an engineer to come up with a plan to discharge effluent into the water. We weren‘t aware that that method would be used. We though he would use a septic system.” Soon a public campaign was underway to try and stop the effluent discharge system from being built. “The citizens said ’no effluent in Sugar Lake,‘” said Oglow. “It‘s not something the residents wanted.” As opposition to the plan grew, Oglow said that council began looking at the bylaws that applied to the situation. “By this time we had a petition this long,” said Oglow, spreading his arms apart to indicate the large number of signatures. “We found that our bylaws weren‘t particularly clear in this area.” The new bylaws, which were passed unanimously, apply specifically to Electoral Areas D and E encompassing Creighton Valley, Trinity Valley and Cherryville. “We‘re hoping to see a broader application to the region,” said Oglow. Although the enthusiasm for the bylaws is widespread, one bylaw does contain a provision allowing tourist commercial developers wishing to discharge effluent to hold a public hearing on the issue to gain approval. Even though effluent is treated, studies have shown that the level of pharmaceuticals and substances that mimic hormones found in effluent has an adverse effect on humans and aquatic life. “This is still the water that we drink, swim and fish in,” said Oglow, “It‘s the reason people come to the Okanagan and we should protect that.”
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