The Comox Lake watershed is the drinking water source for 40,000 residents of the Comox Valley.
It's health is at risk from a variety of threats, including industrial logging, proposed coal mining, residential development and unmanaged public access and recreational use.
A proposal to protect water quality, ecological values, public access and support sustainable use in the Comox Lake Watershed was released this spring by Comox Valley Conservation Strategy (CVCS) Community Partnership. Program manager David Stapley will present this proposal at the next Comox Valley Council of Canadians meeting.
The protection of drinking watersheds is becoming increasingly important on Vancouver Island.
Shawnigan Lake is fighting a proposed contaminated soil dump in their watershed. In 2012, Cowichan Lake faced a shortage that could have imperilled their drinking water and sewage treatment, as well as endangering the annual salmon run. Just this spring, unseasonably low water levels in Comox Lake prompted concerns about fish habitat.
If something is not done to protect our drinking water and the ecology of the watershed, the Comox Valley Regional District may have to spend up to $32 million to build a drinking water treatment plant.
Communities across B.C. are coming to terms with the need to protect and manage their drinking water sources. A local public watershed authority with the ability to develop and implement an ecologically based multi-use management plan could be a good way to start here in the Valley.
These issues will be discussed this Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the
Evergreen Seniors Lounge at the Florence Filberg Centre in Courtenay.
— Comox Valley Council of Canadians