Submitted
Residents of Nicholson in Electoral Area A (rural Golden) will be getting access to more information about their water quality, as the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) and Interior Health have agreed to partner on a monitoring program.
On January 30, Interior Health met with CSRD staff to express concerns with water quality results at the Nicholson Elementary School. Interior Health requested the CSRD partner with them on a program to re-evaluate Nicholson’s groundwater quality.
CSRD directors agreed to fund a $10,000 contribution to a one-year monitoring program, with the CSRD administering its delivery and sharing results with the community. Interior Health will be contributing $5,000 towards project costs.
This is not the first time water quality in the area has been monitored by the CSRD. In October 2014, a community meeting was held to present results on the quality of groundwater in the Nicholson aquifer. A research study confirmed there were impacts to groundwater quality stemming from the on-site septic systems in the area.
At that time, the community of Nicholson did not express an interest in pursuing any option that would involve funding for continued monitoring of the groundwater, a community sewer treatment system, or a water treatment system for property owners. The community opted instead to continue the status quo, which includes on-site septic systems and drinking water wells. After this community direction, the CSRD discontinued the monitoring program in 2014.
The new monitoring program will involve two rounds of groundwater sampling in the area in 2019.
The CSRD will be sharing information to residents through the website, www.csrd.bc.ca. Historical water-quality data will be available on the site, as well as information on in-home water treatment options, health risks associated with poor water quality, and options for CSRD services.
The CSRD and Interior Health will meet again in the fall of 2019 to discuss results of the monitoring project and possible next steps.
