Regional district focusing on water conservation

THOMPSON-NICOLA – Mapping of water and sewer systems will not only provide two people with jobs in the regional district, it will also help to develop a water conservation strategy.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District is partnering with the provincial government to map 12 rural communities, while providing two people with a full year of work experience — one in mapping, data inventory and surveying for damage — the other developing and writing the plan as well as producing operation manuals and delivering public education.

"Having up-to-date GIS information on all of our utility systems will be a tremendous benefit to the workers and our current and future needs,” utility services manager Arden Bolton says in a media release. “Having someone work on water conservation programs and updating our WorkSafeBC compliance documentation is equally valuable. We could not have done it as quickly without the assistance of the program."

Water systems will be mapped in Black Pines, Blue River, Del Oro, Evergreen Estates, Loon Lake, Maple Mission, Pritchard, Savona, Spences Bridge, Vavenby and Walhachin. Paul Lake and Pritchard will have both waste water and sewage systems mapped as well.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.