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New bulk water station will benefit Otter Point

The new station will allow water haulers to bypass traffic problems
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A new bulk water station is planned for the Sooke region. (Contributed)

The Capital Regional District has approved the construction of a new bulk water station on Otter Point Road.

“This is going to have an important and positive impact on the residents in the area,” said Mike Hicks, Juan de Fuca’s electoral area director for the CRD.

“Right now, the people living up Otter Point Road have had to truck their water in during the summer months when many wells go dry. It’s a process that has had implications on cost, fuel consumption, and the environment.”

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To fund the $140,000 project, Hicks committed $50,000 from the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Community Works Fund with the balance covered by the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Service capital plan.

The nearest bulk water station to the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area is located at Sooke Road and Sooke River Road.

It’s a situation that’s had serious ramifications on residents served by bulk water haulers as they pay more for the water that they have transported onto their properties.

“We also have the situation where the bulk water haulers often run into traffic jams in downtown Sooke. If there is an accident or other traffic situation, it can be nearly impossible to make that run up Otter Point Road. The driving and idling time has a negative effect on the environment and increases the costs for the customers,” Hicks said.

The new station will be built within the District of Sooke municipal road right-of-way and will not impact road or adjacent driveway sight lines or access.

The proposed site also has the benefit of occupying a large enough footprint to allow adequate space for the large water trucks to drive in and out of the loading area.

“The water station has the added bonus of making it more convenient and economical for businesses in that area to function. There has always been concern about the availability of water for businesses in the area, but since the extension of the water line is, at best, somewhere in the future, this is a good solution to the immediate problem,” Hicks said.

It’s hoped that the new station will be completed in about four months, although that timeline is largely dependant on the supply of equipment and the availability of B.C. Hydro to install electrical service to the site.



editor@sookenewsmirror.com

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