Green’s say the province isn’t doing enough to safeguard drinking water after report by Auditor General
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BRITISH COLUMBIA– An Independent Audit on The Protection of Drinking Water found that the two bodies of water responsible for safeguarding drinking water, the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Health Officer, are not taking the necessary steps to protect BC’s drinking water, according to a release by the BC Green Caucus.
The audit was released by the Auditor General of BC on Tuesday, July 30. “The findings of today’s report reiterate what communities across the province have been saying for years: we are not doing enough to safeguard drinking water in B.C.,” said Sonia Furstenau, MLA for Cowichan Valley. “
She mentions that it is concerning that the only significant water issue to be reported to the Health Minister has been in Shawnigan, saying that that is not the only place facing an issue.
“It is concerning that the only significant water issue to be reported to the Minister of Health has been the crisis in Shawnigan. This is despite significant impediments to safe drinking water in Hullcar, Peachland, Ymir, and the Comox Valley, to name a few.” According to a release from the BC Green Caucus, last month the Ministry of Environment approved a closure plan for the contaminated soil landfill above Shawnigan Lake which it says is a significant and avoidable risk to remain for the 12,000 people who rely on drinking from the watershed.
