Group Opposes Lake Discharge

Written by Peter McIntyre Thursday, 02 May 2013 06:00 

Vernon's water reclamation plant

  A member of the group Save Our Lakes is concerned about talk to use the outfall pipe to discharge Vernon's reclaimed water into Okanagan Lake. Switching from spray irrigation to the pipe is one of the cost cutting ideas city council got in a core service and spending review by KPMG. Long time pipe opponent Allan Hill says Greater Vernon's plan to separate local water supplies, will reduce the need to discharge  treated waste water, so the pipe won't be needed. "I can't see the point because if we go to split irrigation water for agricultural purposes, and the normal treated water for the normal house-holder, then it's pointless," he tells Kiss FM. Hill also says a 2008 court ruling states the pipe can be only be used for emergencies. "It's got to meet a hundred conditions before it can (be used), and it has to have permission from the Ministry of the Environment in order to do anything," says Hill, a former regional district director for Okanagan Landing. Reading from the Supreme Court ruling, Hill says it limits use of the pipe to "unforeseen circumstances beyond the city's control that prevent the city from pumping treated reclaimed water from the reclamation centre to McKay reservoir." Those conditions could include power outages, pump failures, or levels at the McKay reservoir reaching 1,939 feet. The outfall pipe, which was installed in the late 1980's, was used once in 1996 due to a wet summer limiting the spray program, and high levels at the reservoir. Hill says in addition to Save Our Lakes, the Sierra Club of Canada is following this issue. He says using the pipe is a health risk. "After listening to what happened to Kelowna when it had 15,000 cases of sporidium because their outfall was in shabby order, we don't want any stupid things like that to happen here."