There isn’t a water shortage issue
During the past several years; the Cowichan Valley Regional District directors have spent tens of thousands of the taxpayers dollars trying to convince us, the taxpayer, that we have a water shortage issue.
Let’s not address the wastefulness of spending all that taxpayer money on a “non-issue”; instead let’s look at a solution, for that non-existent problem, that has been accepted around the world.
Travel anywhere in North America and you will see above the ground wells that provide millions of litres of water in one location. OK, let’s not call them above the ground wells; let’s call them water towers instead.
Imagine if you will, water towers strategically placed along the Cowichan River on either federal or provincial land.
These towers, once erected, would require virtually no maintenance. Cowichan River water is naturally fed into the tower through an inlet pipe when the water in the river is at its highest. In the dryer months, the Cowichan River water is released back into the river through an outlet pipe. Pretty simple, Mother Nature gave us simple laws (gravity) to work with; why not use them?
Depending on where those water towers are placed that would determine when the water is released. Water required at the mouth of the river? Then control the release of millions of litres contained in the closest water tower. If sewage dilution is required, the upstream tower closest to the sewage release outfall could be opened to provide that dilution.
What about farmers who required irrigation water for their farmlands? Wouldn’t it make sense for the local government and regional district to put a plan together where the farmer would build their own storage tank on their farmland that would provide the water they need during the driest months of the year?
How about Catalyst? There is enough open land around the Catalyst pulp mill that two or three storage tanks could be built to supply all the water the mill would need through the driest months. Especially since Catalyst informs us that they recycle over 50 per cent of the water that they use making pulp.
Another great feature of water towers is that they stop any evaporation of the water during the two months that we may have hotter or drier weather.
In fact, if this idea were accepted, the Lake Cowichan weir could be eliminated entirely. No more squabbles about height, ownership and the fish problem goes away. After all, there were fish swimming up the Cowichan River long before man built the weir in 1956. So everything goes back to “nature’s plan”.
No doubt that the CVRD directors and their bureaucrats will oppose this idea for the simple fact that it will stop them from spending countless thousands of dollars trying to take control of something that is not needed.
Further, everybody who has watched the documentary called The Heist of California Water understands that water control and supply should never be given to small autonomous groups. California never did experience a drought; California did experience a water shortage that was controlled and manipulated by a very small and powerful group of people.
Finally, there is a simple solution for any director who opposes such a plan. Remove them from the position they occupy either through election or any other means possible.
It is time for the taxpayer to hold these people accountable for their actions. It is time for these people to listen to the taxpayers.
Greg Whynacht
Youbou