Spallumcheen council has now thrown its support behind a water district’s request for a moratorium on effluent spraying on a township farm during crop season.
The Steele Springs Waterworks District asked council on March 2 for the moratorium on the spraying of effluent by HS Jansen and Sons on what has been called the “field of concern” adjacent to Steele Springs.
Council, in March, simply received the Steele Springs letter of request. It made its motion of support at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
“There was some concern that council’s support for our request would not be in the spirit of cooperation discussed at a Feb. 26 meeting,” said the executive of Steele Springs Waterworks District in a letter to township council.
“We do not feel that this is the case.”
That meeting included representatives of the Jansen farm, B.C. Dairy Association, ministries of health, agriculture and environment, private well owners and Spallumcheen Coun. Christine Fraser.
Said Fraser Tuesday evening: “They still want the moratorium regardless of what’s happening with the process of everyone working together. We should support the request because it’s coming from 150 well users that are being affected.”
The water district has been under a Do Not Drink advisory from Interior Health since March 2014 because nitrate levels in the water source surged past the 10 parts per million (ppm) maximum allowed under the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines.
Since the don’t drink advisory was put in place, Steele Springs officials say its nitrate testing has not gone below 10, fluctuating between 10.4 and 12.7 ppm.
It also says the water does not improve in winter when the neighbouring Jansen farm fields are not being sprayed with effluent.
The only other time the water district experienced a rise in nitrate levels in its water source was when a now-defunct 5,000-head feedlot set up holding pens within 150 metres of the springs.
Steele Springs called for the township to place a moratorium on the spraying of effluent by HS Jansen and Sons or anyone else on the field adjacent to the water source.
Coun. Andrew Casson said his concern was that there was no conclusive proof a moratorium on spraying effluent was going to have a positive impact.
“It seems to me a lot of information is needed to know if this is the right step,” said Casson, who voted in favour of the moratorium.
Council was unanimous in its support though Coun. Christine LeMaire stepped out of the discussions, citing a potential conflict of interest.
All of the district’s trustees say they are in agreement that the spraying of effluent on the field must stop for the 2015 crop season while funding is sought for a comprehensive study of the aquifer, location of nitrate focal points in the field and possible methods of remediation.
A compliance order issued in 2014 states the farm can only spray effluent with permission.
A spokesperson for the farm declined to comment on council’s support.
Coun. Todd York received unanimous support for his motion to write a follow-up letter to Interior Health, asking for details and where they’re at with their investigation into the Steele Springs situation.
