Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Registering Wells Required

Posted on 6/21/2016 11:41 AM 107.5 KISSFM
More water issues for residents in Spallumcheen. BC's Ministry of Environment is requiring all farms and businesses using wells as their source of water to register those wells. It also is asking residential users to voluntarily register their wells, in order to encourage everyone to cut back usage. Mayor Janice Brown says the 18 water districts in Spallumcheen will now have to pay for water that she feels should be free. "They all have their own board and they all have accountants do their books and all report to the province on that. So now all those wells that they have, they will have to pay for the water now. All the users on the system are paying for their water use, but now the water districts will also have to pay for that water." Brown says the Ministry will keep track of the amount of wells in use and how much water is used....and could prevent future wells from being dug that might deplete the source. "If they have all these licences for wells and if someone comes in to do something and they don't feel there is enough water, they will stop industry from moving in and stop people from getting more water." Brown says people need to register now to ensure they have water down the road. "It gives you first in right that you can have that water, so if I don't register my well and five years down the road and they have alloted all the water in my area then I want to build on, I won't have any water allocated to me." Environment is justifying the move by saying if residents are responsible for the amount of water they use it will encourage conservation.

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