I have been reading with interest the letters regarding the proposed additional boat marina alongside the SS Sicamous on Okanagan Lake.
I only have one question: Has Interior Health been consulted regarding this?
Okanagan Lake provides the drinking water for many communities that surround the lake and more boats will mean more pollutants in the water. At present the IHA requires that drinking water purveyors fill out a detailed description of what efforts they are taking to protect the watershed areas that surround the ground water source of the drinking water. So what is required to protect the actual source where the drinking water is pulled from?
Providing this marina will increase boating activity on the lake and since Interior Health oversees the drinking water quality one would think that they would be required to have some input into anything that will increase the pollution of drinking water. Pollution will come from many sources, accidental spills of gasoline and oil from the boat motors, debris blowing off the boats into the water and ending up on the shoreline and the bottom of the lake, and the conscious polluting of those who just don’t care about the environment.
It is generally accepted that one gallon of motor oil pollutes one million gallons of water. Break that down into smaller amounts and it is approximately 2.5 drops of oil to pollute one gallon of water to be over drinking water standards.
I would also like to point out that what was done in the past does not mean it is the correct thing to do in the present. Our drinking water is under tremendous pressure and should be considered when any type of development occurs.
Theresa Nolet
Penticton