SUNSHINE COAST REGIONAL GROWTH, CLIMATE VARIABILITY; LONG-TERM WATER MANAGEMENT/SECURITY AND REGIONAL IMPACTS.

I recently did a power point presentation to Infrastructure Services Committee at the SCRD on October 7th, where I addressed serious concerns regarding the above topic.   The reliability of our future water supplies, particularly from our main source at the Chapman Creek and its ever expanding water distribution network to service regional growth, is becoming of increasing concern to me personally.

 I've spent a great deal of personal time studying and researching this topic and I would like people to truly understand that  the Chapman creek flows this past August, was once again running at critical lows.  DFO wants them to maintain a flow rate as well to approx. 500 litres per sec., that is unattainable with the present demand during peak periods.  The whole situation is incredibly frustrating and discouraging.  In my opinion, it it irresponsible planning and counterproductive to continue to hook up ever increasing numbers of users to a source that obviously has more than reached its natural carrying capacity.  

The situation could become even more desperate when you account for "climate variability" on decadal and multidecadal timescales.   Either the Sunshine Coast Regional District sets immediate "limits" to its growth and ease the demand from this particular source or it is my view that nature will simply set those limits for us sooner rather than later.  I'm not much of an "alarmist" type, but folks I just wanted to say to you all out there, it IS that serious and I'm doing everything I possibly can to find solutions to a very complicated and frustrating situation.  Thanks for listening.

Best wishes to all.

Suzanne Smart