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LETTER: In face of unmitigated growth, Surrey's mayor must assure us about water

Photos by Kevin Hill
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STOCK_Surrey Council_Lynda Hepner003

The Editor,

I read with interest a recent article in the newspaper about the need to conserve water and the implementation of water restrictions.

This includes the City of Surrey. I suggest most people would find the need to conserve water a matter of responsible civic duty and responsible environmental practice with a view toward the future. Clearly there is not an endless supply of fresh water.

Many Surrey councillors advocate responsibility in one form or another on the City of Surrey website. However, when I think about responsible water conservation, I am puzzled as to why the City of Surrey allows and approves the building of multiple condos and townhouses.

A person need only travel short distances in and around South Surrey to observe the overwhelming construction and completion of numerous condos and townhouses. I would not be surprised to learn the number of new units in the last five years is well into the thousands. Some of the condo and townhouse complexes now sit on land where there used to be one or two houses, but now there are multiunit structures. Many large-lot properties in South Surrey currently have sold signs and property development signs indicating more condo and townhouse units are to come.

I don't think you need to be an expert in water consumption to figure out that the addition of thousands of toilets, dishwashers, washers and people showering will lead to more water consumption than that of the previous one-or two-family house on the site.

I would like to see Mayor Linda Hepner go on record and state unequivocally that prior to allowing the addition of thousands of new condos and townhouses, a water study was conducted by the city that supports the addition of thousands of new units.

Further, can the mayor please assure all of us good citizens of Surrey that we will, in fact, never run out of water due to the local widespread and mass construction of condos and townhouses. I request these statements from our mayor because it appears as though the consumption and conservation of water when approving the building of new condos and townhouses in Surrey was an afterthought, an oversight, or no thought at all.

I hope I am wrong.

K. Jones, Surrey