May 20 – 26 was Drinking Water Week, and the BC Water & Waste Association gave the Village of Valemount a $1000 grant to help promote awareness and education on public health and environmental issues relating to our water and wastewater systems. The grant was used, in part, for an open house at the new water treatment plant May 25.
BC residents use an average of 353 litres of water per day, while the average Canadian uses only 274 litres per day, according to the Association.
“People may think we have an endless supply of water here in BC and that their actions don’t really make a difference but that is simply not the case,” says Daisy Foster, CEO of BCWWA. “Increases to our population, the growth of industry and agriculture and the effects of climate change all place enormous pressure on our water supply.”
The recent Water Metering Assessment report to the Village of Valemount estimated that residents here generate an average of 700 liters of waste water per day.
To celebrate Drinking Water Week, the Village hosted an Open House at the Valemount Water Treatment Plant on Saturday May 25. Public Works staff offered tours of the water treatment plant from 11 – 2 and some members of council were around to help with the barbeque. At least 40 people came to the event.
“Know Your Watershed,” one of Columbia Basin Trust’s water stewardship initiatives also took place in Valemount over the same week. On Wednesday, May 22, the Grade 8’s had a full-day field trip, including a tour of the water and sewer treatment plants and an introduction to water sampling techniques. Valemount Secondary School teacher Karrie Iselmoe has been working with Kim Thorn, the Know Your Watershed educator, to organize and lead the event; the tours were assisted by Public Works staff.
Take BCWWA’s Water Wise Pledge at www.drinkingwaterweek.org and become more aware of water use!
By: Korie Marshall
