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LETTER: Water licenses needed for emergency use

Unexpected water events can occur in Okanagan Valley

Dear Editor:

An update on the rezoning of agriculture land and amendments to our Official Community Plan for a 390 unit high density development was presented to Summerland Council at the June 26 council meeting, and it included items that we question.

First some background.

The location of this massive development could damage or destroy the current water source of the Summerland Fish Hatchery.

The developer is required to provide a contingency water supply. The options are a drilled well option, which is certain to interfere with the Hatchery water supply, or obtain a water license to Okanagan Lake.

Even though the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. has not approved this option, the developer has written requesting use of one of Summerland’s water licenses rather than apply for their own.

The District of Summerland has only two available water licenses to Okanagan Lake, and they are considering giving up one of them in order to accommodate the approval of a high density 390-unit development at Banks Crescent

We spoke to several former councillors and mayors from the past few decades in order to understand the reason these two licenses have been kept up to date and open.

It was in preparation for emergency.

We have certainly learned from Mother Nature this year and in the drought of 2003 that emergencies and unexpected events can occur.

We did a little research, and found that Summerland is the only community on Okanagan Lake that does not have a permanent source in place to draw water from the lake.

However we do have two water licenses that we can use if we are faced with a drought or catastrophic event that cuts off our main Trout Creek water source.

The Summerland Water Master Plan, the 2014 Summerland Water Availability Report and the Okanagan Water Basin Agreement refer to emergency planning, stating the following: Although Summerland holds sufficient water licensing for the foreseeable future, there is a shortfall of water licenses.

New additional conditional licensing should be awarded to Summerland on Okanagan Lake and current licenses reconciled so that the District of Summerland has sufficient licensing for existing and future water demands.

So our questions are, why would the District of Summerland even consider giving up one of only two available water licenses? Those licenses should be considered a valuable asset and be kept for future emergency water use. And how can it be acceptable for our town to give such special benefits to a private developer at the expense of the future?

Donna and Larry Young

Summerland