Open Letter to the Editor,

On the subject of "WATER METERS", the Lillooet Ratepayers Association wishes to thank all of the citizens of your community, who have taken the time to write to their newspaper and, who have expressed their concerns about their communities planning processes and the diminishing democratic rights of citizens.

Of late, many concerned citizens have been prompted to complain because their wishes are being ignored by their representatives regarding process, water metering, public utilities, and water issues.

We are in support of you who have brought forth concerns such as water metering decisions, and for focusing on the loss of our democratic rights. Our thanks to the editors of newspapers, ratepayer associations and citizens of these cities - Kamloops, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo, www.tidechange.ca, Whistler, www.whistlerwatch.org, Castlegar, www.rosslandbc.org, North Westside Ratepayers, Lee Creek Ratepayers Association, the Bridge River Lillooet News, www.towntalk.ca and the citizens of Lillooet.

In response to a recent letter in the Kamloops Daily News from Mr. Krueger, the Lillooet Ratepayers Association wishes to highlight that he typifies the un-inspired "one size fits all" stance (an easy but ignorant "cookie-cutter" formula approach to water conservation), one which has more to do with obtaining money than helping people, rivers and fish. Each community is unique, their problems differ and so do the solutions. It would seem Mr. Kruger's knowledge base of Lillooet is shallow indeed to be congratulating us on the poor planning we have demonstrated thus far.

Unlike Lillooet, Kamloops takes their water from the Thompson River, which is probably sewage contaminated. This necessitates a very expensive special membrane filtration treatment. Reducing water use, and thereby the cost of this treatment, would, in theory, be a motivating factor to look at metering in Kamloops. Kamloops has unique needs and so does Lillooet. The commonality between us is the diminished opportunity for public input prior to making community decisions, and the disregard of the publics' wishes.

In Lillooet, our ample gravity fed surface water sources are ideal. No documented cases of Beaver Fever or cryptosporidium here. Quality wise, you could not ask for much better surface water, aside from our insane idea of using our good surface drinking water to dilute our foul well water (which exceeds the Maximum Allowable Concentration of Arsenic). Improvements could and should be made, at the creeks and the intakes, to minimize the waste of the good surface water. We need to maximize the capture of the water that is bypassing our catchments. We need to decrease our freshet turbidity. We need to address ignored leakage and infiltration problems. This is where we will truly conserve water and save money.

Lillooet is extremely lucky to enjoy water treatment at a low 7 cents per 1000 litres. This simple logic of math seems to escape our municipal office - they wish to indebt our tiny tax base to metering project costing at least 2 million dollars, which, according to engineers might only realize a reduction in treatment costs of 10 - 20%. All this spending, for a maximum treatment savings that might only amount to a mere $16,400.00 per year. Very poor planning indeed when tiny cash strapped towns are wooed into useless, dangerous positions, all to gain a piece of grant money to supplement their own, even if it is something the town does not want or need, and can't afford. The current direction of our planning and future spending is flawed, unsustainable and holds dire risk to our health and welfare.

Lillooet can easily conserve water, make improvements and save money right now with less debt, with a logical plan. Mr. Krueger, this cookie cutter plan doesn't work for Lillooet. We are opposed to metering in Lillooet. We need simple effective measures, such as public participation in a logical and fully embraced community water use plan. Metering should be the last step in our conservation planning, and only after we have addressed cost effective leak detection and permanent repairs, after bypass and infiltration problems are rectified, after elevated arsenic levels are addressed, and unbiased thorough studies are done which lay out a common sense foundation for an affordable, sustainable plan.

Communications to the Lillooet Ratepayers Association are welcome and can be sent to: Minutes/Communications Secretary email - sydneyewritesgmail.com