Interior Health water regulations too strict: council

The Town of Oliver is adding its voice to other communities that are fighting with Interior Health about a new Turbidity Notification Program.

"The regulations are too strict," said water coun. Andre Miller. "There is no proof that the (turbid) water has pathogens in it – just because the water is dirty does not mean it is dangerous."

Oliver – along with other communities – feels the standards are unreasonable, and are causing unnecessary trouble.

The Turbidity Notification Program was implemented this spring. It requires water suppliers in the Interior to use their emergency response plan protocol to issue water quality alerts based on elevated turbidity readings for surface water.

Basically, as always, a "boil water alert" is required if turbidity levels reach 5 NTU. But with the new program, when levels reach 1 NTU, there must be a "water quality advisory" put out.

In Oliver and area, surface water supplies about 600 residences and 40 businesses, said director of public works, Bruce Hamilton. He said the new program has resulted in a significant amount of extra work for his department.

"We had to put packages together," he said. The packages include posters, stickers, and information for those on the system. Part of the challenge is to communicate the information to businesses that bring in tourists who might not be familiar with the system. That’s where the stickers and posters, put up next to sinks, come into play.

But the reality is that for those on Oliver’s surface water, there’s always some level of turbidity.

"I think what will happen here is we will always be above 1 NTU," said Hamilton. The turbidity reaches 5 NTU only occasionally, for example, during spring run-off.

Miller said there is no concern in his mind about water at the lower levels of NTU.

"It is safe to drink, it’s just not as clear as it should be," he said. That is why he wants the ministry to drop the "advisory" portion and return to a system in which the notification is given out only when the water reaches a certain point of risk, as determined by those qualified to determine the risk level.

"The point is, a boil water alert should be given when it is unsafe to drink."

Miller, along with Town council, passed a resolution at a recent council meeting to send a letter to the minister of health to raise their concerns. The issue came up after council received a request from the district of Peachland. They are sending a resolution to the Union of BC Municipalities to have them request the health minister review the situation.

Council didn’t want to support Peachland’s resolution as it stands, because of the harsh language. Coun. Jack Bennest read out a section and suggested council request some attention on the issue, but in softer terms.

Peachland’s motion states the program is "ill-conceived, is being poorly implemented and actually threatens the health of the public that it is intended to serve." It adds the program "compels the lay public to make uninformed decisions about the relative risks of the water supply, is fostering message fatigue, and is undermining confidence in the public water supply."

Ken Christian, director of health protection with Interior Health, said the plan was implemented to standardize the public notification process and to bring it into line with Canadian standards. It also makes the public more aware of the situation.

"The town of Oliver is selling water to their customers that does not meet a national standard for drinking water, and that is a concern for us," he said. "We wanted a notification (program) so the public is aware of the risk and they can make their own decision about the degree of risk they are prepared to accept for themselves and their families."

He explained turbidity impacts water quality in two ways. First, he said evidence indicates as turbidity rises, so does the risk of waterborne disease. Secondly, it reduces the effectiveness of chlorine, and as more is needed, there is an increased level of disinfectant by-product left in the water.

Christian said he thinks that the public has the right to the information, and not just when the water reaches 5 NTU.

"The public is much more sophisticated than people are giving them credit for," he said, about Peachland’s argument about lay people having to make unqualified decisions about water safety.

"There is an element of transparency here. I find it unconscionable they would want to keep that information away from the very people that are drinking that water."

Ultimately, the problem is only a short-lived one for Oliver. Rural residents are only on irrigation water in the summer months, and no one will be drinking surface water at all, after the rural twinning project is complete.

Christian said that’s partly the point of the program.

"This is more about the reluctance of having to face the reality of having to install effective water treatment, specifically filtration," Christian said, adding some of the current water system – like the irrigation canal – was built almost a century ago for agricultural purposes, and doesn’t meet the standards for human consumption.

"The duty of care for individuals drinking this water is much higher than the duty of care for an apple tree."

Cherry crops put smiles on the faces of growers and packers

Despite the weather, it looks like a record crop

It is peak of cherry season in Oliver, and the smiles on the faces of growers and packers are wide.

It’s looking like a record crop: huge in quantity, unmatched in quality, and even pretty good in prices, if the markets hold firm as they are now. From the big packers to the little growers, the cherry industry in Oliver is humming the same harmonious song.

Peter and Pat Unger, aged 81 and 77, could be called mini-orchardists, representing the little people in the business. Having only 45 trees on 4.5 acres, they are near the bottom of the production totem pole. They are ecstatic about this year’s harvest.

"Our crop is wonderful; it’s massive, and the cherries are so good," said Peter Unger. He said with last year’s rain, they only picked about 2,600 pounds. This year is much better.

"We have just finished picking and have sent 11,000 pounds to the packing house." They estimate they’ll get about 95 cents per pound return on 7,000 pounds (after culling).

At the other end of the scale, at Oliver’s big packing house, Al Tyabji, general manager of the Okanagan Similkameen Co-operative Growers Association, was sounding just as pleased and optimistic.

"The crop this year is anticipated to be about double last year’s crop," he said. "The cherries we handle this year will go to about 220,000 boxes, and that’s up from about 100,000 last year."

A large volume operation, the co-op packs fruit for about 600 growers, mainly from Osoyoos and Keremeos to Naramata and Summerland, but also as far away as Vernon and Creston.

Tyabji said the recent hail didn’t have a big impact on the crop.

"The quality of the local cherries is just excellent," he said.

Asked for a ballpark figure on prices to the growers, Tyabji said "Despite the fact that volume (of fruit) is up substantially, we have been able to hold prices at reasonable levels."

Tyabji described a relatively new and hugely significant improvement in the cherry industry, which has been achieved largely through the efforts of the research scientists at Summerland. Three new varieties of cherries are gradually replacing the older, softer, and earlier ripening Lamberts, Vans and Bings. The Lapins, the Sweethearts and the newly emerging Stacatto cherries have been bred to be firmer, more resistant to splitting and to ripen later. Cherry buyers are eager to get their hands on Okanagan fruit for these reasons. These varieties are responsible for huge improvements in the reputation and sale-ability of Okanagan cherries

Tyabji translated the harvest into prices at the co-op.

"This year prices should be in a range that will start about a dollar and rise to $1.50 or $1.60 for the better varieties and the larger size."

He also said near the end of season, when quantities are scarcer and the Americans have no more cherries to sell, that co-op returns could be higher.

"When we get to the later season and the size is excellent …we will shoot for at least $2 a pound. When we are selling our late varieties and Washington State is pretty well out (of cherries)…we will try to push the price up to reflect the quality and size that the market should pay."

In another niche in the cherry industry, Chris and Greg Norton of Okanagan Harvest in Fairview are custom cherry growers. They do their own packing, and specialize in the shipment of premium quality cherries to world markets. Now, at the height of the season they have about 53 workers, mostly from Quebec, picking and packing for their operation.

Greg Norton summarizes the state of the cherry harvest with enthusiasm.

"So far, it’s really good. The fruit in the Oliver area, most of it is just absolutely beautiful," Norton said. "We are enjoying really good sizes, and the quality of the fruit coming off the trees is excellent." From their 45 acres of orchard, they expect slightly over 15,000 boxes this year.

As for current prices, Norton describes a bit of up and down.

"The prices have been good. It’s been reasonable up to now," he said. "It started pretty high and now we have a slight dip because of oversupply by Washington State growers They’re in a real glut this week this year and they’re dumping (their cherries) all over the world."

Norton tentatively predicts that their export quality fruit will hover somewhere in the $2 per pound range.

He was also surprised and grateful with how his cherries have been treated by Oliver’s climate.

"We’ve had some incredible thunder showers that we aren’t used to having," he said, adding he recently got hit by one of the big thunderstorms, but they took quick action that helped their crops.

"We were able to get the helicopters out and clean it up and put calcium on afterwards," he said. "What it (the helicopter use) does is, it gets the (rain) water off the trees and prevents (cherries) cracking. It’s very expensive, but so is the crop down below."

He said a wet tree tends to be more susceptible than a dry tree to fungus type diseases, and the more quickly they can be dried off, the better for disease control.

Norton described drying as a relatively quick procedure

"We go up and down the rows. Once we’re set up, we can do an acre in about a minute and a half. Two nights ago three helicopters were in the area serving about eight or nine growers."

Norton is cautious about summing up a season that is not yet complete, but he is pleased so far.

"I’ve never been this lucky, ever. For years I’d be fighting rain and having cracked cherries and the fellas in Kelowna were doing beautifully … I used to feel there was a conspiracy against us down here," he said. "Presently I feel this area (Oliver) is being blessed, truly blessed."

Zeisman trial date: August

A trial date has now been set for former BC Southern Interior Conservative party candidate Derek Zeisman to face charges of smuggling.

He appeared in Surrey Provincial Court on Tuesday, July 11, and a trial date was set for August 14. Zeisman, who had been chosen by the local party to replace MP Jim Gouk, allegedly tried to smuggle a 1989 Mercedes-Benz with more than 100 bottles of liquor in the trunk from the U.S. to Canada in 2004.

As a result of the charges, Zeisman was dumped by the federal Conservative party just prior to the elections of November, 2005.

Zeisman also appeared in Castlegar Provincial Court on July 12, to face charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. He was involved in a motor vehicle accident while driving from Trail to Castlegar, when his SUV struck another. Zeisman ended up in hospital for an extended period, healing from a fractured pelvis, broken femur, ribs, and a collapsed lung. That case was set over to September 13 for arraignment.

In praise of changing your mind

Rural director Allan Patton’s reversal of his promise of money for the Oliver Chamber is to be commended. Not because it was a matter of grave importance, but because Patton is showing a little seen side of a politician.

Whereas many important Western leaders seem almost pathological in their inability to admit a mistake, Patton has realized that something was said in haste and must now be reversed.

So be it. We are pleased that he has the courage to do so and can only hope that others might feel encouraged to re-examine some of their decisions made in haste.