Editor: re: possible CVRD water service referendum
Our board and staff must be applauded for starting a community dialogue toward a possible referendum to create a water-service function.
Basically, it would proactively protect our precious water supplies that are among Canada’s best.
However, one may ask what took the CVRD so long to take action about this critical resource that’s vital for current and future residents.
Currently, the CVRD basically has no idea about limits to growth. How many folks can our valley, now with a population of about 85,000, support?
Water is the first consideration concerning growth, but there are many other key factors, spanning farmland and sewage treatment to clean air, garbage disposal, jobs, taxes, power and more.
All these items have flown under the CVRD’s radar for years. What would Cowichan look like with 200,000 or even a million population?
In one scenario, the CVRD would be logical in denying families and businesses a place in Cowichan once we reach a determined population level, such as now happens at a packed pub.
While our valley isn’t a pub, we still have the same constraints regarding, safety, sanitation, lifestyle and pollution.
Luckily, our CVRD is also continuing its Cowichan 2050 talks with the community to hear worries and ideas — including those about threatened water supplies — facing our growing region.
Hopefully a potential water-service function would have teeth for offenders, and encourage new technology in water management and sewage treatment in the wake of a recent CVRD report explaining most of Cowichan’s water and sewerage functions are close to collapse.
Now is the time to speak up and plan ahead toward Cowichan’s future, rather than crisis management later.
Peter W. Rusland
Duncan
