I read Mr. Thornton’s “response to critics of outfall” with interest. I agree that many East Sooke residents now have a much more reliable source of water since Silver Spray brought the main waterline from Sooke to Possession Point. However, it is my recollection that the water main was brought to Possession Point due to a lack of potable well water in the development – rocky terrain and too many heavy metals in the ground water. The only other option for the development would have been a very expensive desalination plant.
So, basically, the water main was exchanged for a rezoning to higher density. Sooke Point Resort is also provided with enhanced fire protection, thanks to its water main but also the East Sooke Volunteer Fire Department.
When describing the sewage treatment process that Mr. Thornton says will be used, I note his comment that the “finished product is filtered so clear it looks like window glass.” This sounds great, but I wonder if such treatment, which is said to have been approved by the California Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will remove all pharmaceuticals and toxins that people flush down toilets and workshop sinks. This point is not addressed in Mr. Thornton’s letter. A lot of chemicals are clear, whether diluted in water or not. Further, there is no mention of what will be done with the bio-solids.
If the treated sewage to be discharged into the ocean will indeed be as pure as implied, then why not use it entirely for landscaping irrigation from the start and thus obviate the need for an outfall altogether?
As for the comment that the District of Sooke and Spirit Bay already have outfalls, I can only say they should not, and two wrongs do not a right make. The days of dumping anything into the ocean should be a thing of the past.
A. Preto
Sooke