“ae 2579

~higher concentrations, “t

‘wo boats und one
‘sin North. Vancouver District,

approximately 4

IF OFL is considered black
gold. then North Shore water
may well be considered liquid
platinum.

By Cheryl Ziola

Contributing Writer

And North Shore residents have
less than three months left to put
their money where their tastebuds
are on choosing which type of sec-

ondary disinfection treament will -

be best Jor the drinking water that is
piped to most Lower Mainland
communities,

The Greater Vancouver
Regional District (GVRD) is con-
sidering six secondary trestment
options.

Two involve the use of a chlo-
tine-based chemical called chlo-
ramine; the other four would use
existing rechlorination technology
to treat the water supply.

With capital costs ranging from
$302 million up to $1.3 billion, the

options all translate into higher resi-

dential water bil!s district-wide,
depending on which option is cho-
sen,

Estimated costs range from an
additional $35 up to $180 per year
atop the current average household
water bill of $130.

A-GVRD administration board
is expected to make a decision in

-.May after a’series of April public
‘forums and media blitzes. the final

dates and locations of which are
still to be announced,
Local water treatment needs to

* be improved because local drinking

water docsn't meet. Canadian
Drinking. Water Quality or the

British Columbia Health Act guide-

“ines, .

Although: local: water. is! ‘eoasid-
-ered safe, it has the potential to
“carry such. waterborne diseases as

giardia: (beaver: fever) und. numer--
“ous types of bacteria that

can only
be controlled by increasing disin-
: fection along the pipeline.-
- & GVRD- released study states
that chloramination is more effec-
tive.in killing discase.beciiuse of its
astes less
chlorinous”’and:has” almost no
taste.” f

Chlorantine i is also less expen-
sive than rechlorination.

poy

SCEYERa SAKE CES

INFORMAL DRINKING water taste-tests con-
ducted at the Greater Vancouver Regional
District (GVRD) offices showed surprisingly that

_ chioramine-treated water had drapped in its
estheiic appeal compared with similar tests per-
. formed two years ago.

Ata Feb, 11 water committee mecting, 10 of
14 people attending, including councillors and
media, favored bottled spring water over rechtlo-
rinated or chioraminated water, _

» The latter two tied for Jast place. .

Nearly two years ago, the same test resulted in
chloraminated water being chosen as least chlori-
nous tasting‘and clearer looking. But the chlo-
raminated water. at the Feb, 11 taste, test was visi-

bly yellower. than the rechlorinated ¢ or, the bottled ;

“water,
» Either chloraminated or ‘Fechtoriniitéd water,

_.(beth containing some form of chlorine) will like -

. fy: be‘chosen‘as-a secondary disinfection treat-
“ment for: the’: North. Shore ‘and Greater

- Vancouver water supply at: a 'GVRD board meet-

” ing’ in May.::

~Water treatment. are isor Doug. Neden was.
: h

: this morning. .
We've had very. ‘fet complaints from the. tasting .
virtually lifetess:...

area in Surrey,” he said, referring to a pilot pro-

‘fect. using ‘chloramine- treated water for. South.’
: Surrey. residents and rechlorinated water: for. -

“Newton residents that svas started in 1988, -

minded ofa GVRD document

Sunday, February 20, 1994 - North Shore News - 3

uebate rages on

GVRD committee wre stles with chemical options for Improving local water quality

that touts chloramine us having “almost no
laste.”

He defended the document, saying, “I don't
think we’ve ever said it’s (chloramine) edortess
and tasteless. I think chloramine is going to be
pretty much: constant... _ and more consistent
than chlorine.” .

Yet Neten also said that if the water wasn’ t
well circulated “4t’s (chloramine) not going to be

the same all the time. For those living closest to «

the station, the chlorine taste will be higher.”

A letter. to the GVRD from J. MacPherson of
Richmond attested that fact.

McPherson described how he gave seme of his

expensive prize hobby fish (Japanese Koi)) to a.

friend in Maple Ridge.

Two smonths later, he heard. the fi sh had died.
'“E went over to see what-had’ happened and
the water out of this tap actually stunk and it
tasted awful. a
“The chloramine was added to the water SYS-
tem only two blocks from their house.” 7 ;

West Vancouver resident David Adams’ letter.
. said he was alarmed” by media reports that chio--.’

ramine was’ still being considered as a secondar
treatment.. :
“The report makes it clear that stich use » has :

the potential to render Lower Mainland streams Ls

“Apart. from damage arising from any’ majo

lawn sprinkling and car washing would be sulii-’

leaks, everyday. runoff.from such ‘activities as-:

, But it carries a higher potential
environmental cost than chlorine.

Chioramine accidentally spilled
into fish-bearing rivers or streams
would have a far greater impact on
fish and other aquatic life than
would the less toxic chlorine.

Chloramine also takes far longer
to dissipate in the environment than
does chlorine in the same quanti-
ties.

The newly appointed members
of the 1994 GVRD water commit-
tee debated the costs. benefits and
drawbacks to each disinfectant
option on Feb. It.

While the 1993 water committee

members were leaning toward the *

chloramination — drawing much
criticism from the general public ~
the new commitice is more appre-
hensive about the chemical.

North Van District councillor
and new committee member Janice
Harris asked why chloramine was

Damage i is estimated at $250,000

on Sunday, Feb, 13. Two houses.
car were lorched

-By Anna Marie D'Angelo

“News Reporter

All three fires happened within
one hour of cach other beginning it
am.

The first blaze involved a car

ire at 2626 Panorama Dr. Ho was
followed by a house fire at 925

~ Broadview Dr.

The house fire destroyed the res-
idence along with two boats and a
vehicle, according to North
Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Gene

" Slobod.

The third fire damaged a house
Hyannis Pt. in’ the

CALL US:

983-2208

“in burning of homes, boats and car

‘TWO NORTH Vancouver males
“Were recently arrested in connec-
tion with a suspected arson spree

Blueridge area.

“We feel all (fires) are associat-
ed,” said Slobod.

Slobod said the suspects were
apprehended after investigation.

He described the suspects as an
adult and a juvenile.

“They live in the arca,”
Slobod.

He said the motive or cause of
‘the fires was undetermined ai press
time.

Slobod suid he couldn't estimate
when charges would be laid in con-
nection with the investigation.

No injuries were reported in the
incidents that caused an estimated
$250,000 worth of damage.

Twenty-four firefighters along
with police and other emergency
workers were called out to fight the
fires. :
Forward information about the
incidents to the North Vancouver
RCMP at 985-1311.

said

being considered even though thou-
sands of fish had been by spills of
the chemical in 1989 and 1990 near
a Surrey chloramine water treat-
ment station following a watermain
break. _

A GYRD test project in South
Surrey bas residents drinking chlo-
raminated water while Newton resi-
dents are drinking rechlorinated
water.

GVRD water manager John
Morse told Harris that new emer-
gency procedures have prevented
further fish kills despite subsequent
watermain breaks.

Committee nember and
Vancouver Coun. Jennifer Clarke
asked Morse if be could guarantee
no foss of life should spillage occur
ina larger chloraminated water sup-
ply.

“| wouldn’ 1 want to generalize
in those terms,” Morse said.

He added that mitigation costs

- cient t to puto our. waterways at serious ‘risk .”

of $5 million to $100 million have
been factored in chloramination
budgets should uncontrolled
spillage occur. .

But committee chairman and
Por Moody Mayor John Northey
added that “some would say the fig-
ure is immeasurable.”

Morse reminded the committee
that both chemicals ure harmful if
spilled.

“Rechlorination also has poten-
tial environmental impact.” he said.
“I's not a one-sided ledger,”

Following the meeting. Harris
told the News the committee is
being pressured by GVRD staff into
“rubber stumping” a chloramine-
based option because it’s cheaper.

“(We're) not just a flea on the
elephant's back. It’s got a life of its
own the way it’s rolling along.

“The challenge is to change the
course.” she said. “I want this com-
mittee to make a... decision inde-

Dave Jennings photo

NORTH VANCOUVER District Fire S-rvices firefighters were
busy fast Sunday. The biggest blaze was at 925 Broadview Dr.
where a house, two boats and a car were destroyed.

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:
Do you support the idea of having a Deep Cove seawalk built?

pendent of Johu Morse’s agendit.
Chloraming is not ac ceptable.”

North Shore residents aren’t toa
keen on chloramine, either. she
added.

“Thaven't bad anyone come up
to me and wax enthusiastic on chlo-
riumine. There’s more concern and
distrust ... downright resistance.”

She asked why other options,
such as ozone, weren't being con~
sidered. .

Ozone is more environmentally
friendly but much more expensive
in the Jong run, according to GVRD
staff reports,

“How do they know people
aren't prepared to pay for one that
takes the environment into
account?” Harris continued.

“I'd like to have scen ozonation
and filtration set on a level playing
field. They should have been right
on the table. [t's so easy to just add
a shot of chloramine and we don’t
have to think again.

“The GVRD staff preference is
chloramine. If politicians don’t hear
it from the public...then the GVRD
staff will get it its way.”

But water treatment supervisor
Doug Neden denied that the GVRD
staff had its own agenda,

He agreed that using ozone as
the primary disinfectant with some
chlorination or chloramination
along with installed filtering sys-
tems “would certainly na doubt be
the best water quality,”

However, the estimated price of
$1.3 billion is rather daunting, he
said.

“Are people willing to pay dou-
ble the money? That's what we
hope to find out through the public
process.”

So far, he said the GVRD. has
received “mixed” reaction to high
water bills.

During a subsequent interview
with Morse, he answered Harris”
question.

Morse said the the issue of
ozone was not on the table because
it would require the installation of
extensive and expensive filter sys-
tems.

~ But both the rechlorination and

chloraniination models could even-
tually include the use of ozone,
which would decrease the amount
of chlorine chemicals needed i in the
system, he said.

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