The Columbia Valley Pioneer • 3
March 31, 2006
$135,000 water well to be drilled in Athalmer By Adrian Bergles Pioneer Staff District of Invermere council voted to proceed with a $135,000 production well in Athalmer on Tuesday night. It is hoped a successful well will help satisfy the town’s long-term drinking water needs. The vote followed a 20-minute presentation to council by the district’s director of municipal works Brian Nickurak. Mr. Nickurak told council that drilling the well into the aquifer, found about 200’ below the corner of Fourth Avenue and Blair Street in Athalmer, was the logical next step in the town’s search for a groundwater source. The aquifer was originally discovered during a 2004 well dig paid for by the district. “It’s really the only way we can find out if groundwater is the way to go,” said Mr. Nickurak. Mr. Nickurak said the district’ geological consultants, Golder Associates, are confident a safe source of groundwater is available in Athalmer. “The only way to test the aquifer is to produce a
production well and pump it hard,” said Mr. Nickurak. The quantity will then be measured and if it is found to be suitable, water will be drawn into the municipal system, said Mr. Nickurak. Mr. Nickurak said the supply available from the well may serve as a compliment to the town’s existing surface water source, the Paddy Ryan Lake west of town. He said originally groundwater was hoped to be the sole source of water for Invermere. But an 800’ well drilled by Calgary firm Fossil Water late last year put an end to those hopes. The well, which was paid for by several developers, failed to find a plentiful, deep source of ground water. The well found a plentiful source of water at 100’ but Mr. Nickurak said concerns remain about possible contamination of the shallow aquifer. Mr. Nickurak said the information gained through drilling the 800’ test well was “a revelation.” He said a long term water strategy would evolve over the next two years as more information became available, and may include ground water from Athalmer, surface water from Lake Windermere, as
well as water from the Paddy Ryan Lake. “From what we’ve seen so far we’ll have at least two sources and possibly three,” he told council. Mr. Nickurak said over the next three months staff will prepare a cost analysis of drawing water from Lake Windermere. He said in order to use lake water, a water treatment facility would have to be built and a water licence from the province obtained. “But we won’t pursue lake water until groundwater is examined,” he said. Mr. Nickurak said to date the district has spent over $262,000 exploring for groundwater. “Basically total costs would be around $400,000 after this well is drilled,” he said. Mr. Nickurak said new development in Invermere requires another secure water source. “We have to get that water from somewhere,” he said. No start date was given for the well. The vote to approve the well was passed unanimously. Only three councillors, Ray Brydon, Sarah Bennett and Gerry Taft were present on Tuesday. Councillor Taft served as interim mayor, as mayor Mark Shmigelsky and councillor Bob Campsall were away.
Double Exposure
Carnival coming to town After a one-year absence the carnival is coming back to Invermere. West Coast Amusements will bring their rides back to town from April 27 to 30th. At a meeting of Invermere council on Tuesday, council voted unanimously to sponsor the event. Any proceeds will go to the district. The company will arrive in town on April 24 and immediately begin setting up in the parking lot behind the old Home Hardware building. “This is an opportunity to generate a little bit of additional revenue and provide a service to the citizens,” said councillor Ray Brydon.
However, councillor Brydon expressed concern that the company would arrive three days before they planned to begin. “I know it’s a pain in the butt to have these carnie people around town,” he said. “They just move in.” The decision to come back to Invermere was initiated by the Langley company. They informed the district of their intention to return in a letter dated March 17. The carnival is a popular attraction in Invermere. It was not held here last year but has been regular a spring time event in Invermere for years.
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The Columbia Valley
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