Re: “Farmer angry he will have to pay for water”, (Citizen, Dec. 16)
Who on earth came up with this idea?
I cannot believe that farmers who have drilled their own wells and put in their own pumping systems are now expected to pay yearly fees to the province to use the water.
These are residents of B.C. who need the water for their livelihood, not a mega company who is getting the water for a pittance and selling it for a huge profit. These are the ones who are causing the problem.
The argument that it is to ensure a sustainable supply of water for the future does not make any sense. It will not stop people who need it from using the water, it is just an excuse for the province to make it into a cash cow and take yet more money from people who can least afford it.
We all know that there is not an infinite amount of groundwater and the premise that the wells will eventually run dry is real, but our water would last a lot longer if mega companies were stopped from pumping out millions of litres a day and selling it. The farmers are not selling the water, they are using it for their livestock and crops, it is how they make their living and they should not be penalized with more taxes.
Rosemary Schneider
Duncan
