sept
news

Tank rebate programme 2026 

CRD Rainwater Harvesting Tank Rebate Programme for 2026 is taking applications until September 15. The guidelines, information sheet and application form are all at www.606Water.ca  

 

The closing date was pushed back so that we could try and get the message out to Port Renfrew, Willis Point, and the Malahat OCP areas.  Many thanks to the people of those communities who helped us spread the word.

 

Send completed applications by email to 606watergroup@gmail.com or drop a hard copy to the CRD JdF services building at #3 - 7450 Butler Road in the Sooke Business Park during office hours. Make sure your photo shows the proposed location/site for the tank.

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Report on the Sooke Fall Fair  Thank you to the volunteers who held the fort on Saturday, August 22.  Actually, that was “held the tent”.  Four new volunteers answered our request for help in the Fair’s Big Tent.  Then we realized we were actually going to be out in left field and needed to set up our own little tent.  It was wonderful having so many new people and on Saturday afternoon, some of them saved the tent.

 

It was very, very, windy weather, working up to that big thunderstorm.  The wind blew a table over inside the Big Tent—no exhibits on that table—and the west side entry had to be closed off. The stuff from the smaller tents outside was blowing over the field and several people holding it down.  Several tents blew away and, sadly, some were damaged. Whew! 

 

One of our best teaching toys is a sand and gravel filter. It is impressive how dirty water goes in the top of the jar and clean water appears at the bottom of the jar. Which brings us to our next topics.

 

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Septic Savvy in Port Renfrew.  Port Renfrew, this is for you!   Everyone else, if you need a reason to journey to Port Renfrew with side trips for chanterelle hunting, here it is. Gas up or check your charge before you go.

 

Zoe Cillers from the CRD is putting on another free Septic Savvy workshop in the Port Renfrew Community Centre from noon to 2 p.m. on October 3. She did her talk in Otter Point in February. Everyone enjoyed it, lots of learning and laughs, believe it or not. Zoe is very knowledgeable and responsive to questions. And there are refreshments and nice giveaways.

 

Learn about the sand and gravel filter process and how to keep your septic tank and field in good working order: it will save you money by extending the life of your system and possibly save the environment from unfortunate surface leaks.

 

Free registrations for different venues and/ or questions:

 Septic Savvy in Port Renfrew Tickets, Saturday, October 3  •  12 PM - 2 PM | Eventbrite or email to register or for more information  email https://www.crd.ca/environment/sewer-and-septic/septic-systems  Don’t worry if you are a free spirit and decide to just attend—you will be welcomed.

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Septic Savvy for stay at homes    Okay, you don’t live in Port Renfrew, and you wouldn’t know a chanterelle if there was one in your soup. There is a one-hour Zoom webinar on Wednesday, September 23 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.  You don’t need a Zoom account. Register to receive the sign-in link:  http://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN-CID9HVTSygVfp9xu-EcIA  The workshop is designed to help you become a more confident and informed septic system owner. 

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Sand and gravel save a river   The Stiebeuel River in Western Cape Province, South Africa was facing extreme pollution. The fix has been to restore a natural system: sand and gravel filters treat the sewage and the filtered water is safe for irrigation and safe to return to the river. People are getting smarter by co-operating with Mother Nature instead of trying to outsmart her. How a South African town cleaned up its polluted river using stones, wood and sand | Global development | The Guardian

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Water news from around BC   Vernon, long considered an oasis in the Interior of BC, is under Stage 3 water restrictions and has shut off water in some areas due to a break in the waterline with a boil water advisory for the affected homes. There are boil water advisories issued for other areas. The Interior has been dry for several years with wildfires threatening all life in the area. Not just human habitation is at risk. Okanagan Lake and Kalamalka Lake have reached record lows in August. The McCulloch Lake Reservoir in Kelowna fell to 70 percent of capacity. Farmers were asked to cut their water use by 20 percent. In the Vernon area, some water licenses were cancelled “for the duration” so crops were drying and dying.  

 

The Province issued a fish population protection order for Bessette Creek in the Shuswap River watershed as severe drought threatens South Thompson River chinook. As of the end of August, 131 water license holders must stop using water for some agriculture, including forage crops, and stop using water for mining and industrial uses.

 

A fish protection order was issued July 28 for the Salmon River as mentioned in the August newsletter. The order was rescinded by August 8. There is a precarious balance of needs. The province has a cash supply for ranchers or farmers affected by the orders, but cash won’t replace food that does not get to the market.

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Updates.   McBride in the Robson Valley was facing severe drought a few seasons ago. Dominion Creek was drying up. With grants from the province, they tried a couple of new wells. Neither provided suitable water. They increased the storage capacity of their water system, but they still needed a long-term solution. This year, they are considering a surface license on nearby Hankins Creek or on the farther away but much bigger Fraser River.  There are already water licenses on Hankins Creek, and the farmers and ranchers are protesting the threat to their water supply. McBride to consider Hankins Creek, Fraser River as water source - The Rocky Mountain Goat

 

The Sage Mesa Water System, serving a community in the Penticton area, ran into trouble. In 2019, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) issued a fact sheet explaining who owned the system, who used the system, who managed the system and who did or did not pay for the system. 20190626-RDOS-Sage-Mesa-Water-System-Fact-Sheet-updated.pdf

 

Things only got worse. In 2025, the RDOS offered to buy and fix the system, being eligible for grants, which a privately owned system is not.  It would still cost the water users plenty because, apart from grants, the cost of the fix still goes to the water users.  In 2026, Sage Mesa water users voted against the takeover and decided they will sue the province instead.  Not sure how this will help, adding legal costs and delays to the final fix. Meanwhile boil water orders are in place.  District formally abandons takeover of embattled Sage Mesa water system | Penticton Western News

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More than enough water    Parts of BC that were in drought those few years ago, presently have more than enough water.  The Williston Lake Reservoir is impounded by the WAC Bennett Dam north of Prince George.  For the first time in 14 years, the reservoir is full and water is being released. A surprise effect is a floating island.  More of a raft, if this origin story is true: logs and debris lodged against the shore. A forest grew on the platform. The high water lifted the platform and it floated out into the lake.  However it was formed, it certainly was out there. As of the end of August, the island is tucked in along the shore again, 30 kilometres from where it first was spotted, sailing in the lake.

Lost island in northern B.C. lake — that appeared then disappeared — located, says B.C. Hydro | CBC News

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Elsewhere on the continent.

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Not enough water.    

Corpus Christi   Thanks to El Nino, weather systems are re-arranged this year. Through no virtue of the city and at the expense of communities higher up the river,  Corpus Christi’s Day Zero crisis has been put off for a year. Devastating floods have filled the city’s reservoir, allowing time for a better fix. Floodwaters from devastating Texas storms help delay Corpus Christi water emergency

 

The Colorado River  Within weeks of the USA federal government imposing a water sharing plan on the seven states that use Colorado River water, Nevada is suing. The way Nevada sees it, they are asked to give up 20% of their share, while the four upriver states retain their shares. It could all be for nothing, if there is no water to share, but hey! Extremely not fair!  Nevada files lawsuit challenging federal plan for Colorado River revival | Colorado river crisis | The Guardian

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Too much water.   Offshore of Newfoundland on its namesake island, the village of Miquelon is moving to higher ground. The Saint Pierre-Miquelon archipelago is in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, off the coast of Newfoundland, but under French administration. It belongs to the European Union. The islands have a fascinating history of cod, back and forth imperial claims, Nazi spies, smuggling, and rum running. They form a popular tourist destination, claiming genuine French cuisine and culture. If you want to visit the historic village, go soon, because the village is only about two meters above sea level. The Mayor is planning to move the entire village uphill to a safer site, four metres above the shoreline. FYI Canadians visiting for less than 90 days can travel with a drivers’ license or other government issued ID. They don’t need a passport.

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Around the world    Indonesia is another, much larger and more famous archipelago. Jakarta, the largest city, is sinking at an alarming rate while the sea level is also rising. The weight of the city over the aquifer is causing the city to sink as the aquifer under the city is drained. Around the world, where unconfined aquifers, such as the Ogallala Aquifer, are drained, the land subsides and the aquifer will not recover its depth. The effect is more noticeable and alarming to humans when a city, like Jakarta or Mexico City, is going down with the land. Other big coastal cities such as New York City, Houston, Virginia Beach, Rotterdam, Venice, and Bangkok are facing a similar crisis for a variety of reasons: sea level rising, ground subsiding due to groundwater extraction, natural gas or mineral extraction, and the sheer weight of the cities. The Largest US Groundwater Supply Is Running Out - Newsweek

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Beavers, of course!   Beaver were extirpated in the British Isles four or five centuries ago. Beavers wishing to settle in the UK require entry permits and work permits since the UK is no longer a part of the European Union. Beavers who emigrated to the UK with licenses and permits are now having families. This is a cause of great excitement to those who sponsored the migrants. Whether the expansion of beaver colonies in the UK will be accepted in the decades ahead remains to be seen. It is also suspected that there are beaver smugglers operating in the UK. Legitimate beaver may not be distinguishable from the illegals because beaver do not carry documents. Only a very discerning eye will be able to spot a North American beaver if any are illegally introduced. 

First wild beavers born in Norfolk for more than 500 years

Lincolnshire river welcomes first baby beaver in 400 years

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Some statistics    

Visit the BC Drought Information Portal at BC Drought Information Portal

Visit the CRD Water Watch

    

August 30, 2026, the Sooke Lake Reservoir was at 69.4 % capacity, down 5.3% since August 9 and continuing the small but significant downward trend. On August 31, 2025, the reservoir was at 70.3% full.