It’s all very well for the Town of Qualicum Beach to protect drinking water inside municipal limits, but officials are well aware that water supplies don’t necessarily originate there.
Because of this, town council recently voted to join the Regional District of Nanaimo’s drinking water and watershed protection service.
“A watershed management area has been identified over the last three years and Qualicum Beach and Parksville are not part of it but we need the information in order to make good decisions in the future,” said Mayor Teunis Westbroek in promoting the move.
Commenting on the issue, Coun. Barry Avis said the town’s environment committee was solidly on board the move.
“We are spending quite a lot of money to look after our water sources within the boundaries of Qualicum Beach,” Avis said. “Knowing that water comes from other areas besides within the boundaries of Qualicum Beach, this is an excellent step we have taken, to be that much more involved.”
The cost to be involved in the service is set at $6 per taxable property in 2012, $7 in 2013 and $8 in 2014 and thereafter.
The Drinking Water and Watershed Protection program helps protect the region’s water resources. Through the program, the Regional District of Nanaimo and its partners are working to learn more about water in the region, use this information to make better land use decisions, and help communities protect the environment.