NDP on tainted water tour

Photo: Kate Bouey

NDP critics will be flooding into the Spallumcheen-Hullcar Valley area next week to get a first-hand look at the tainted water situation.

New Democrat MLAs George Heyman, Lana Popham and Scott Fraser will visit residents and the Splatsin First Nation Tuesday, March 29.

The critics have blasted government ministers in the Legislature over the past number of weeks, accusing the Liberal government of failing to address the elevated nitrate levels in the region's drinking water. About 200 people remain on a water quality advisory.

“People in this area continue to be exposed to nitrate levels that are putting babies, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system at serious risk,” said Heyman, the NDP's environment critic. “Christy Clark and her government have known about the problem for two years, but they have failed to take action.

“Instead, they stood by while nitrate levels rose. Today, nitrate levels are more than 30 per cent above the guideline for Canadian drinking water quality.”

However the province is now taking some steps.

Following a meeting with local residents and farmers this past week, it was announced a working group from Interior Health and the ministries of Environment, Agriculture and Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations would work to find a solution to the water problem while supporting a sustainable agriculture sector.

Initial actions include a study of relevant water quality data and an effort to convince local farmers to voluntarily halt effluent spraying on fields in the area.

“We know that spraying liquid manure for fertilization can lead to dangerous levels of nitrates in water,” said Popham, NDP agriculture critic. “ That’s why residents and the New Democrats have demanded that the government release the soil test samples we know have been taken in the area.”