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LETTERS: Health trumps esthetics

Open letter to White Rock council .
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Open letter to White Rock council.

Regarding the chloramine advice of city staff (White Rock alters stance on chloramine, April 26), simply say no to imposing another chemical into our water.

Decisions like this – with health and other consequences – are the responsibility of our elected representatives to make, with complete comparative analysis of an array of pro/con options, plus wholesome public consultations and information. Include only using the White Rock water system for firefighting, gardens, car wash and street cleaning, and connecting to the GVRD for all human-consumed potable water.

The reactionary staff response to inconvenient cumulative complaints of brown, smelly water – and costs for extra flushing – does not require this inappropriate treatment to, in theory, address the esthetics.

In January 2016, the use of chloramine was unanimously rejected by mayor and council. This was due to a significant outcry from the public, with research and lessons learned from other jurisdictions of the dangers of using chloramine.

My water-filter system is full. I have to change the filters about every two to three months; the brown buildup is disgusting. We have been flushing our building intake regularly where annual flushing has shown us a remarkable amount of gunk.

Respectfully, send the matter back to staff. Regardless of the actions to date, the full details and rationale to connect with GVRD water needs to be on the table as well. Council may have purchased while elephant, yet you need not punish human health and taxpayers further.

Pat Petrala, White Rock

• • •

Your memories appear to be short, but I can assure you the citizens’ memories are not.

In January 2016, the use of chloramine was unanimously rejected by the council, due to a huge outcry from the public of the dangers of using chloramine.

You now are considering going against the majority of your constituents and endangering health for esthetic reasons.

One can’t help but think the mud-coloured water that some homeowners are experiencing would not bode well for your 2018 election aspirations.

I implore you to reject the city staff suggestion to add chloramine to our water.

Vickie Darts, White Rock