Officials want to get a better sense of what’s happening in the water offshore from Cosens Bay.
The Regional District of North Okanagan has received $9,700 from the Okanagan Basin Water Board for water quality monitoring at the Cosens Bay area, which is south of Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park.
“It’s in response to inquiries from property owners suggesting improvements to sewage disposal are needed,” said director Bob Fleming.
The community consists of about 100 lots along Kalamalka Lake and the area is served by septic fields.
“These lots have soils of variable drainage and rockiness, which result in challenges for on-site septic disposal,” states an OBWB report.
Fleming won’t speculate on what the study may determine.
“We will monitor Kalamalka Lake and the goal is to see if there is a difference in water quality during the summer (peak residency) and the fall,” he said.
“Testing will show the source of any contamination if there is any.”
One impediment to a community sewer system is the lack of electricity at Cosens Bay, and Fleming insists that issue must be considered as part of long-term planning.
“Power would allow for more development and would take the area from a cabin colony to more permanent housing,” he said, adding that there is a need for RDNO to consult with residents on how they want the community to develop.
RDNO has received a total of $45,700 in water conservation and quality improvement grants from the Okanagan Basin Water Board for Greater Vernon.
There is $20,000 for a North Kalamalka Lake storm water reclamation project, $8,000 for a water ambassador summer program and $8,000 for water education programs.
