Drinking Water

... water for Sicamous residents ...

On driving into Sicamous this morning I saw a sign at the intersection of the trans-Canada with the town.  The sign said “Water at the Rec Centre”.

 I remembered where that building was ... just behind the Sicamous Health Centre – I was there to watch Glen and Janet vote last year.

Today during Bonnie’s coffee break, I walked the perimeter of the Centennial Park which is in the same area.

She went back to work. Miranda and I had to go over and see how water is being distributed.

A security car sits in the parking lot, keeping eye on the silver tank that holds water for people. As well, two pallets of water are brought in each day. A hand written cardboard sign swings from the top of a tent on which the words are written, one case of water per car per day. Miranda and I were standing in the tent and the security agent called out from the car. “The sign is there because people were taking 14 or 16 cases each time they would come for water. Now they can only take one case. The next palette comes in tonight.”

As a political act, I don’t drink bottled water in B.C. or Alberta. Where is the water cleaner or fresher, I reason, than in those two provinces. But in this case – bottle water is best for still the residents don’t have safe drinking water.

Drinking Water
one case per car

Yesterday Moiya drove Wyona and me around 97A so that we could see how the stream at 2 Mile has been diverted by the slide, and now it is easier for “man” to build a new bridge, than to change the course of the water. We saw the farm fields alongside the river that empties out of Mara. The fields are still sitting in pools of water. Moiya pointed to the place where her friend lives at Swansea Point saying, “We wanted to come and help our friends and we weren’t even allowed in. Later David came to help Waterways, and his trousers were full of dirt and sand up to his waist. I wouldn’t let him put them in my washing machine!”

The safe drinking water was gone for the morning in Sicamous. The next palette of water comes in tonight.

Water – the gift of life.

Arta