‘Blue gold’

Dear Editor:

Re: Erin requests five-year permit renewal for BlueTriton well near Hillsburgh, June 24.

Having chatted with a few young people (under 40 years old) who’ve grown up in Erin, one thing that is common is their recollection of what the West Credit River used to be like: deeper, wider, colder, better fishing, etc.

So it strikes me that as our town grows, our “draw” on the water table also grows and unless there is a detailed hydrogeological study (i.e., water “inventory”) on our aquifers, how do we determine what “draw” is sustainable for our community and river systems?

Throw in climate change, development and increasing temperatures (think west coast 40 to 50C in southern BC), and you could be facing a water security issue within our community in the very near future.

Combine this with some very ambitious “growth” plans, I can’t personally see why any town would give away what could be their #1 resource: our water.

With the increasing shortages throughout the world, there’s a reason why it’s being referred to as Canada’s “blue gold.”

Brett Davis,
Orton