Island Guardian

Saturday, July 9th

Groups applaud leadership on Victoria sewage

ig_Stephane_Dion-1 (8k image) (Stéphane Dion)

Environment Minister Stéphane Dion's recent statement that he would like to see the city of Victoria, along with all cities across Canada, having a minimum of secondary treatment for its sewage is an important and welcomed step forward in efforts to reduce pollution impacts on our oceans from municipal waste.

"We are very pleased to see Minister Dion and Environment Canada taking a leadership role in working towards strong sewage treatment standards for all Canadian cities," says Christianne Wilhelmson, Program Coordinator for the Georgia Strait Alliance. "It's important that the federal government (of Canada) lead the way in bringing Canada up to the standards of other developed nations and in doing so, acknowledge that the current situation in Victoria is unacceptable." PAST STORY

"It was great to hear that the Minister is open to finally enforcing the Fisheries Act," says Jim McIsaac, Clean Water Director, T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation. "Currently, we have fisheries closed and ocean users at risk, and enforcing the Fisheries Act is key to ensuring that the CRD drops their strategy of studying this issue for the next 25 years and start planning for secondary treatment." The groups also welcomed the Minister's stated willingness to create further infrastructure support programs to bring all cities up to the national standards.

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Thursday, July 7th

Pesky Old THN Still In Some County Waters

ig_Trout_Lake-V2 (17k image) (Trout Lake - Water Source For Friday Harbor Water System-TFH Photo)
The town of Friday Harbor wants it's drinking water customers to know the water in Trout Lake still has, from time-to-time, slightly elevated levels of Trihalomethanes (THM), which are byproducts that are created when organic material in the lake is subjected to chlorination. Trout Lake is not the only lake in the county that has this problem, other water systems that draw water from surface lakes can, and have had, levels of THM that exceed the higher standards that have been imposed by the State. PAST STORY

While THM has been identified as a possible carcinogenic, it is important to known the levels adopted by the State are set at a level designed to protect those most at risk, and at a level most likely to protect the health of the consumer; and also to legally protect the water provider. If the State recommended levels are set high enough that expert witnesses could state the levels are higher than required to protect the public health, then the water provider is less likely to be held accountable in a legal action. On the down side of raising the levels, is the expense that results for those towns and communities that pull water from lakes, for it is difficult and expensive to lower the THM levels.

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Tuesday, July 5th

Were Not Special Anymore: West Nile Virus In Human?

ig_MOSQUITO-1 (12k image) San Juan County Health Department has reported the State is performing lab tests to confirm if a suspected case of WNV (West Nile Virus) has been found in Spokane. If the virus is confirmed, Washington will join the rest of the lower 48 states has having the WNV present. Last year the virus entered the state, but there have been no human cases, until possibly now. (See former story: No Human Cases -Yet

The WNV is not the plague. It has been estimated that even if one has been infected with the virus, only one hundred and fifty of those infected will have severe West Nile Virus symptoms. As is so often the case, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system, are most the susceptible. Dr Frank James, Health Officer for San Juan County is urging San Juan residents not to take chances and to protect themselves from WNV exposure by preventing mosquito bites. "The likelihood of cases in our area will be higher this year and I strongly encourage residents of the San Juans to take responsibility for reducing mosquito habitat around their homes and taking personal protective measures such as wearing long sleeve clothing and mosquito repellants at dusk and dawn. These actions will reduce the risk of being bitten and the risk for West Nile Virus infection."

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