Scott Stanfield
Record staff
About 50 people attended a Monday workshop at the Westerly about the Comox Lake Water Treatment Options Study. Hosted by the regional district and Opus DaytonKnight Consultants, attendees were split into groups to discuss survey questions about the study, which includes a review of water intake from the lake and related treatment options.
“It’s really just a value-based survey, meaning that we want people to gauge where their values lie on a number of different questions that are outlined in that survey,” said Koreen Gurak, manager of community engagement and education. “It was a good way to start the conversation.”
A number of key points that came out of the workshop were people’s high value in the safety and quality of water. Discussion also focused on the quantity, security and supply of water, as well as water restrictions.
“This is more about the treatment, though, than it is about the actual supply of the water,” Gurak said.
The CVRD has commissioned Opus to conduct the study. The resulting project is focussed on the necessary components to meet Island Health treatment requirements. These include a new intake in Comox Lake or the Puntledge River, a treatment plant, a pumping station and a pipeline.
Monday’s session was the first in a series of workshops that will lay out available options for treatment. No price tags have been discussed, but discussion has started about possible sites for a filtration plant and why filtration is necessary.
The next workshop — likely to be held in spring — might include dollar values associated with type of treatment options.
The survey is available until Jan. 25. It can be found at bit.ly/1RyILlU