MAYNE ISLAND INTEGRATED
WATER SYSTEMS SOCIETY
September 20 membership meeting:
MIIWSS has scheduled a tour of the two CRD water systems
treatment facilities for Skana Gate and Surfside (Wooddale)
on Wednesday, September 20, from 2 p.m. to 4p.m., with
Gary Hendren, CRD Local Services Coordinator and Murray
McCallum, Waterworks Local Services Supervisor as our
guides.
The membership should meet at the corner
of Wooddale and Village Bay Rd, by the real estate office/ferry
terminal no later than 1:45 p.m. We will go first to the
Surfside facility, then to the Skana facility. We will
meet after for Q&A over coffee at the Church House.
If you wish to join us, please be sure your membership
is current as we are not able to accommodate guests.
Many thanks to all who visited our Fall
Fair booth to meet one on one with the three consultants,
or share your concerns about water issues on our island.
The comments expressed this year showed
far more overall concern for water issues, a definite
focused attention on water consumption/conservation ,
and, we had loads of ‘how to’ questions. We
will try, next year, to have our island technical people
on hand throughout the day to help in any way we can,
or offer some guidance as to where to look for assistance.
Well production comments ran the gamut from dry to artesian
depending on island location, but the prolonged drought
had that topic first on nearly everyone’s list.
For those who arrived after our supply of MB Labs well
test kits disappeared, we will be restocked for our water
workshop next spring. It is rewarding that so many islanders
are starting to get the coliform, and base metals and
mineral testing for their wells, and are keeping good
records. (Note one of the benefits below under hydrofracturing).
The Fair is always fun, and we appreciate the input and
opinions. Thanks to all who offered their encouragement
and the many who joined MIIWSS for the first time and/or
signed on for the well mapping project.
By the time this hits the mailboxes, we
should, with any luck, be nearing the end of the drought
season. Please remember that it will take a fair bit of
rain to saturate the ground, satisfy the vegetation, and
percolate through to our aquifers. Depending on the soil
make-up, it could be two years before the benefit of rainfall
reaches the water table. So continue to be gentle with
your well, private or system, and monitor your consumption
in general for while yet.
Well Hydrofracturing: A
topic for thought and discussion
The growing practice of hydrofracturing of wells in an
attempt to increase production is coming under closer
scrutiny. MIIWSS recently sent a letter to the Ministry
of Environment requesting that the practice cease on the
Gulf Islands.
For those who are hearing the word for the first time,
when a drilled well is hydrofractured, one method used
is the placing of a seal above and below the productive
area of the well . High pressure water is injected through
a pipe to expand/clear/fracture the veins and aquifers.
The expectations/hopes would be that the well production
will increase. There are no requirements for distances
from the ocean or neighbouring wells, no bonds required
to cover aquifer damage, no required recording with, or
permission from any Ministry, or notification of neighbours
or siting of their wells.
The danger of opening up the aquifer to
salt water intrusion, ruining that particular well, a
neighbours well, or, possibly, the aquifer upon which
an entire community may depend, makes the practice of
hydrofracturing a questionable practice at best. If flow
is redirected or increased, the subject well may benefit,
but the neighbours well may have reduced production, no
production, or a higher salinity count.
The practice originated in the oil drilling
business, and its popularity in the water well drilling
industry has grown over the past few years. With ever
increasing pressures of population growth, leading to
ever increasing demand for water on stressed aquifers,
the practice becomes very dangerous for our supply of
potable water.
While it could be said that an owner of
a damaged well may take the driller, or original well
owner to court, unless one has very detailed and well
kept records of his/her well spanning years of production,
with quality, quantity, and production details, there
is no paper trail to prove damage.
Given that we are situated on rocks surrounded by salt
water, drilling more and more wells, it is hardly a gamble
we think we should be taking in the Gulf Islands.`
MIIWSS moving forward.
The response to the well mapping project has been very
rewarding and we will begin mapping by GPS and testing
for conductivity in October. Since the well must be drawing
at the time, we will contact each owner for a convenient
appointment.
The BCWWA Leak Detection Course for Saturday,
September 30 at the Ag Hall has room for anyone wishing
to enroll. The course will credit .6 CEUs for operator
certification maintenance.
Mark Sunday, November 19, 1p.m. at the Ag
Hall ,on your calendar for Barry Boettger, BC Drinking
Water Officer ( one of four in BC) speaking at a membership
meeting on legislation as it affects private well owners
and organized systems. Barry has many, many years of experience
in government and its relation to the water industry,
and is an entertaining, excellent and informative speaker.
We will relax over pre-holiday season pleasantries while
Barry answers our questions.
Saturday, April 28, 2007, 3rd Annual SGI
Water Workshop plans are well underway. To date we have
suppliers, speakers from the insurance industry as they
relate to the changes for water purveyors ,(this huge
expense affects the taxes of each homeowner in organized
systems), water filtration and treatment, conservation
devices and low flush toilet construction differences,
and the Ministry of the Environment on well sealing and
groundwater legislation. MoE would also be the government
arm that deals with well hydrofracturing legislation.
Details will be published as speakers are added to the
agenda, so mark the date on your calendar.
Memberships in MIIWSS are available for
$5.00 by contacting Mary Cooper, or Diane Plucinak.
Mary Cooper, Vice Chair,
MIIWSS Program Director
