08 March 2009

Tap into Water

I applaud the municipal leaders who are urging a reduction in the use of bottled water. Drink municipal tap water instead, they tell us.
The resolution from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities calls on all municipalities to phase out the sale and purchase of bottled water at their own facilities, where potable water is available, and to develop awareness campaigns about the benefits and quality of municipal water supplies.

However, the phrase:"where potable water is available" jumps out, as the semi rural community where I live takes water directly from a lake that is used by many for recreation; where most homes operate septic fields; where logging is ongoing and where there is a great deal of residential development. So the water that pours from my tap is doubly dosed with chlorine, as lake water is not potable.

The capital city of Victoria, 50 km's away has excellent drinking water. Sooke Lake has been protected as a reservior, going so far as to bar people, other than authorized, any where near it.
"In Victoria we're lucky, we have beautiful water. In Saanich, we're using jugs of tap water now in all our meetings," Leonard said.

I, too, would like to drink from jugs of tap water, but until our supply becomes just that: water for drinking only I will continue using a device to ensure I have potable water.

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