APRIL 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


9


Province kicks in funding for aquifer troubles Clearing nitrates from Hullcar groundwater could take seven to 10 years


by PETER MITHAM SPALLUMCHEEN – The


province is funding an overhaul of water supplies in the Hullcar Valley, the epicentre of a 30-month drinking water advisory affecting local residents. Just hours before an inter-


ministry working group was to meet with the community regarding a survey of local wells on March 3, the province announced that it would spend $950,000 to support alternative drinking water sources, fund treatment for domestic well users and support sustainable, environmentally appropriate farming in the Hullcar Valley. The move comes in the run-up to an election in which the government’s failure to resolve the muddy issue of nitrates in the local aquifer stood to be a liability. Government handling of the matter has garnered criticism from farmers and residents alike. “It would have been great if it had happened sooner,” Greg Kyllo, MLA for Shuswap, told 100 residents who packed into Hullcar and Deep Creek Community Hall for the update. “But we are at the point now where the information is such that it does appear that the Hullcar aquifer is not going to return to a healthy state in the near term, so armed with that information last week I went and met with some of my senior colleagues, the minister of agriculture, the minister of environment, the minister of health and the minister of finance and also brought it to


the attention of the premier.” Steele Springs Waterworks


District trustees, led by chair Brian Upper, applauded the province for stepping up to the plate after nearly three years. "We will work with the


government to ensure the work needed to facilitate this happens as soon as possible," trustees said of the announcement. Spallumcheen mayor Janice


Brown, who has urged the importance of facts over speculation in resolving the issue, also welcomed the move.


"I am pleased the concerns of our community have been heard and that residents will soon have access to drinking water that's safe for themselves and their families,” she said in a statement the province circulated with the announcement. “I look forward to the province's continued work to identify and manage the source of nitrates and work with our local agricultural industry to improve nutrient management practices."


Record high The day before the


meeting, Steele Springs Water District, which serves 160 local residents, reported that nitrates in its water source had tested at 15.5 parts per million (ppm) – the highest concentration in recent memory. The safe threshold in Canada’s drinking water guidelines is 10 ppm. The study presented to


residents at the community meeting surveyed 70 wells across the valley last fall and


ANGUS BULLS BULL SALE DATES 


APRIL 1 BEST BET APRIL 8 VANDERHOOF APRIL 13 WILLIAMS LAKE 80th


BC ANGUS


BRITISH COLUMBIA ANGUS ASSOCIATION www.bcangus.ca Tom DeWaal2President 250.960.0022 | Carley Henniger2Secretary 587.830.4175


Chief Wayne Christian of the Splatsin First Nation lives across from Grace-Mar Farm and told a community meeting March 3 that his people have a vested interest in seeing the Hullcar Valley’s groundwater cleaned up. OKANAGAN ADVERTISER PHOTO


identified 14 wells testing above the threshold of 10 ppm. Conducted by Golder Associates, the hydrogeological assessment indicates that all but one of the high readings occurred near the area’s two largest dairy farms – H.S. Jansen & Sons Ltd. and Grace-Mar Farms Ltd. Grace-Mar hit the news in


February when a manure lagoon overflowed, an incident that owner John Kampman acknowledged was extremely unfortunate given ongoing concerns regarding


nitrates. “We are extremely sorry this


event transpired, all the more so in light of concern around contamination issues


involving the local aquifer,” he said in a statement. Quick action mitigated the


See WELL on next page o


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