Ron Ward said he and his neighbours are fed up with discoloured and unpleasant smelling drinking water. The Sandpiper resident in French Creek is advocating to acquire better quality water, which the RDN's water services manager agrees, but will come at a cost. (Regional District of Nanaimo)

By Ian Holmes

water quality

RDN report pending to address water woes for French Creek neighbourhood

Jun 25, 2020 | 5:33 AM

NANAIMO —More clarity to resolve longstanding murky and smelly drinking water in a portion of French Creek is expected in a month.

RDN directors voted this week for a staff report within 30 days for options to reach a solution for 240 homes in the community’s Sandpiper subdivision, who fall under the French Creek Water Service Area. (FCWSA).

Recent testing results by the RDN showed newly reformed drinking water standards means concentration levels of manganese in FCWSA water now consistently surpasses allowable federal standards.

The FCWSA operates under a permit from Island Health, which considers the ground water safe to drink and the license remains intact.

The RDN’s water services manager Murray Walter told NanaimoNewsNOW they are fully committed to a timly resolution.

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“We’re very interested in getting a solution to the problem if we can find a way to get through it and fund it,” Walter said. “We’re all in on this, we want to make it better,” Walter said.

A feasible funding model to supply improved drinking water is the daunting hurdle RDN officials are trying to leap.

Walter said the preferred option is brokering an agreement with neighbouring suppliers, while the other more expensive solution is building a water treatment plant, which he said would cost roughly $2.5 million.

Prior attempts for senior government help to absorb some capital costs of a water treatment plant were rejected, Walter noted.

He said a new FCWSA water treatment facility is a big ticket expense for such a small number of homes.

He referenced a 2012 survey indicating a low appetite from Sandpiper residents to pay $500 to $600 annually in extra taxes for 20 years to purchase for a water treatment plant.

A majority of French Creek residents receive water from private supplier Epcor, which Walter said they are currently negotiating with.

Parksville mayor Ed Mayne called the Sandpiper water issue one of the most embarrassing files he’s encountered as an elected official.

“The water quality here, the brown colour, my god,” A flustered Mayne told a virtually conducted RDn board meeting on Tuesday, June 23. “This region prides itself at being a leader and we’re still providing water like this to a subdivision,” Mayne added, who’s also a Parksville RDN rep.

Sandpiper resident Ron Ward, who spearheaded a petition for better water, organized several video delegations for board members. Ward said they deserve safe and healthy drinking water from the RDN.

“The minerals, iron and manganese are destroying our appliances, our clothes our bedding and our infrastructure, Ward said. “Plus, the smell and taste is very displeasing.”

Ward also demonstrated his water filtration system, which he said quickly turns brown.

Longtime Sandpiper resident Larry Biccum’s video submission said his tap water more resembles Coca Cola or corn syrup.

“It’s absolutely disgusting, our son would not let us bathe our grand kids in the water when he saw it, that’s third world stuff, we can do better than that,” Biccum said.

When asked for its stance on the high levels of manganese in the FCWSA, Island Health said it works with operators on developing plans to bring water systems into compliance when a Health Canada drinking guideline is changed.

Health Canada states drinking water with high levels of manganese may harm brain development in infants and young children.

A path forward on the FCWSA water quality challenges are expected at the RDN’s July 28 regular board meeting.

ian@nannaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes