Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Would our water supply be better protected if the AWS owned the entire Englishman River Watershed?Answer: Even if the AWS owned the entire Englishman River watershed, naturally-occurring organisms still exist and pose a threat to our water supply. Having turbidity (muddy water) in the river further complicates this matter. Regardless of watershed ownership, AWS is mandated by the province to treat the surface water supply and is therefore proceeding with providing an enhanced potable water supply with a state-of-the-art water treatment facility.Question: Has the AWS Management Board engaged in consultation with the community and with experts in the field regarding the new treatment plant and intake?
Answer: The AWS has engaged qualified engineering experts in the fields of hydrology, hydrogeology, biology, Aquifer Storage and Recovery, environmental, geotechnical, and water treatment technology to help determine the best facility locations, treatment and future capital plans to suit regional water needs. The AWS has also spent considerable time consulting and liaising with many stakeholders and interest groups over the last 15 years to help further advance the AWS program. There is still considerable work to do, including convening public open houses so that all Oceanside residents can be well informed and the AWS Management Board and the AWS Management Committee can gather feedback from the community.Question: What conservation measures has the AWS implemented to ensure future water supply?
Answer: In conjunction with water supply planning, AWS partners have implemented water conservation initiatives such as WaterSmart programs and water conservation pricing. In addition, critical park allocations have been acquired along the Englishman River including Top Bridge Park, Mount Arrowsmith Regional Park and Block 602. Our many parks help to maintain the natural habitat and protect the river environment. In addition, the Regional District of Nanaimo has developed a Drinking Water and Watershed Protection Program dedicated to learning more about water in RDN, using this information to make better land use decisions, and helping communities protect our water resource.Question: How are future water supply needs determined?
Answer: Future water supply needs are based on population projections in area Official Community Plans and the policies established by the Regional Growth Strategy.Question: Why do we need a surface water supply system?
Answer: Community water systems in the bulk water service areas depend on groundwater. Sustainability of water supplies is a priority. It has been determined that groundwater sources cannot meet our goal of ensuring a reliable long-term, high-quality water supply. The Arrowsmith Water Service supplements area groundwater sources.Question: What impact can water conservation have on demand?
Answer: Water conservation measures can reduce demand significantly and extend the life of groundwater supplies. Conservation does not eliminate the need for a surface water supply system, but it can delay future phases of the system and therefore defer the need for borrowing and save everyone money in the long run.Question: How does the Arrowsmith Dam affect Arrowsmith Lake and the Englishman River?
Answer: The Arrowsmith Lake watershed is about 1.5 per cent of the Englishman River's 324-square-kilometre watershed. Arrowsmith Lake is an ideally situated water storage site-because of its steep rock sides, raising the level of the lake by 12 meters floods a relatively small area of only about 12 hectares or 25 acres. The dam allows the lake to be drained on a controlled basis to supplement low flow periods in the river.Question: How does the Dam affect fish?
Answer: Water is stored at Arrowsmith Lake during heavy fall and winter rainfalls and snowpack. This water supports domestic and fisheries uses, and benefits fish in the Englishman River by increasing the existing low summer flows. The water stored and released for fisheries purposes is over and above that released for domestic uses and creates better conditions for spawning, migration and other life cycle needs of fish.Question: How are AWS operational costs split between the joint venture partners?
Answer: The operational costs are split based on the water license allocations.Question: Are the wells owned by Parksville and Qualicum Beach considered part of the AWS?
Answer: Existing wells owned by Parksville, Qualicum Beach and the RDN will continue to be owned and operated by those respective jurisdictions. The water supplied by these wells will at times be integrated with the AWS supply for distribution. The AWS will own and operate the intake, the water treatment plant, some trunk water mains and the Aquifer Storage and Recovery system.Question: How is it determined when to release water?
Answer: The operational rule for the Arrowsmith Dam is defined by the Province.Question: What is AWS water quality like right now?
Answer: AWS water is high-quality water from the Englishman River. At times turbidity is an issue, and for drinking water supply the Province requires turbidity to be less than 1 NTU. This is because high turbidity can potentially mask other things in the water, such as E. Coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium.Question: Water extracted from the river requires full treatment, but well extraction does not. What is the reason for that?
Answer: Groundwater will be the key base supply. Water from the Englishman River will be used to supplement groundwater supplies. The Province requires surface water supplies to be treated (see previous question).Question: What is the matter with the current intake location?
Answer: The current location of the intake gallery lies under the river bed and has a tendency to silt up and therefore requires considerable maintenance. It is located within the floodplain of the river, and testing shows higher turbidity levels in that area of the river. The existing location is also downstream of the railway and two major highway corridors.Question: Given that the new intake will be located near the highway, what safety measures will be taken with regard to potential spills?
Answer: The intake will be located upstream of Highway 19, which will minimize risk from highway activities.Question: Did the engineers have the opportunity to drive around and view the watershed before completing their report?
Answer: Yes, the engineers and environmental scientists completed a field review of the watershed and an examination of each of the potential intake and treatment sites.Question: Has habitat been considered?
Answer: Habitat was one of the factors considered in selecting the sites for the intake and treatment plant. Further discussions are being held with resource agencies regarding the proposed site and habitat mitigation.Question: Can the treatment plant be built in modules?
Answer: Construction of the treatment plant will be staged and the plant can be expanded as additional water is required.Question: Parksville currently holds a water license on the Englishman River-will this be replaced with an AWS license?
Answer: Once the new AWS intake is operational, the Parksville water license will be extinguished and only the AWS water license will remain.Question: Nanoose Bay is currently considering an increase in development, and if approved, these new properties will rely on AWS water. How will this be paid for?
Answer: The French Creek Bulk Water Service Area and the Nanoose Bay Bulk Water Service Area both collect development cost charges (DCCs) from new construction development. Additional groundwater supplies are also being developed on the Nanoose Bay peninsula to support water requirements.Question: Where do local golf courses get their water from?
Answer: Many have their own sources. Morningstar Golf Course in French Creek uses wastewater from the French Creek Pollution Control Centre.Question: Are the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Ministry of Environment supportive of an Aquifer Storage and Recovery System?
Answer: The plan will be presented to them and we are optimistic that they will support it.Question: What is the proposed dollar amount to implement Aquifer Storage and Recovery?
Answer: There is $5 million allocated for Aquifer Storage and Recovery--$1.5 million for feasibility analysis and $3.5 million for infrastructure works.Question: How key is Aquifer Storage and Recovery to the supply issue? Will treatment be required for the long term?
Answer: Aquifer Storage and Recovery represents one-tenth of the cost of the upgrades. The AWS is currently looking for available aquifer storage (exploration) and will be test drilling to determine whether the proposed sites are feasible.Question: What will the annual impact be for a typical taxpayer?
Answer: There is no firm answer to that question at this time. Costing is still in process and we do not yet know the level of federal and provincial funding the project will receive. Preliminary conversations with regulators suggest that due to the innovative nature of ASR, it may receive favourable consideration for funding programs.Question: What level of senior government financing is expected?
Answer: There is the potential to receive a grant that would split costs three ways between the AWS and the federal and provincial governments. Initially, the AWS has currently applied for a $1.5 million grant for the ASR feasibility analysis.Question: What would be a reasonable level of inflation to expect on project costs?
Answer: Borrowing will go through the Municipal Finance Authority, and inflation is estimated at two to three per cent per year.Question: Why don't we drill more wells?
Answer: Providing potable surface water from the Englishman River gives the AWS system a secondary redundant water supply. In doing so, it also helps to provide additional summer river base flows for fisheries benefits.
