WL Council receives 2nd Phase Piteau Report - status of City's aquifer

From the City of Williams Lake:

The Williams Lake aquifer has stabilized over the last five years, according to a Piteau Associates report received by council at its Nov. 30 Committee of the Whole meeting.
The report, commissioned in 2008, is the second phase of an ongoing aquifer study, and will now be referred to the City’s Water and Wastewater Advisory Committee for recommendations. Approximately 62 per cent of the $230,000 total cost for this second phase came from the federal government’s Community Economic Diversification Initiative.

The report found that aquifer stabilization has coincided with the drilling of a fifth well at the end of Duncan Road in 2004 and decreased water usage in the city. Water usage has decreased every year since 2006, a total reduction of almost 22 per cent, or 246 million Imperial gallons between 2006 and 2009.
The report recommends the drilling of a sixth well at the old city beach site off South Lakeside Drive to distribute water withdrawal from the aquifer over a larger area, which will mitigate impacts on the Scout Island well field.

“This report has given us good news about the state of the aquifer, and a great deal of information as continue to define the characteristics of the aquifer,” says Joe Engelberts, Manager of Water and Waste. “Going forward, the City will regularly monitor the water level and water quality in the test wells drilled by Piteau Associates as part of this phase of the study.”

The information collected will help to paint an even clearer picture of the status of the aquifer and its withdrawal rate over the next few years, and help assist the City in making informed decisions in managing our water resources in the future.

“Decreasing water usage is still important for the long-term health of our aquifer, and we thank those who have reduced their consumption,” says Councillor Sue Zacharias, who holds the Development and Public Works portfolio. “The Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society partners with the City of Williams Lake to deliver the Water Wise program, which has been instrumental in reducing water consumption. I encourage all residents to use water responsibly.”