Hello Texada!  Here are a few notes from our last regular board meeting, held Oct 18^th.

WATER: Water use is back to pre-summer levels, so Water Restrictions have been lifted.

September’s water treatment was usually between 67 to 79 thousand US gallons per day. This is about half of our production capacity. (More water data can be seen here.)

With winter approaching, this is a good time to ensure water lines are protected from freezing with insulation or heating tape. Running hoses or taps to prevent freezing is very wasteful of our water and increases our costs. More information available at vananda-id.ca/winter.

One new application for a residential service has been received for a property on Coleborn. We expect an engineer’s report shortly on how the Wall St properties will be affected by planned new connections to the properties added to the ID last year.

A reminder, VAID’s water operators and office staff are to be treated with respect.

FIRE PROTECTION: We are investigating increasing the District Boundaries to be able provide Fire Protection to more properties. Areas being considered for addition are Crescent Bay, Spectacle Lake, Kirk Lake, and Raven Bay. Several property owners have already submitted the form to be included in the District.  If you are interested in joining this group, please contact us.

Van Anda firefighters have completed more training with the Gillies Bay Fire Department. Regular fire practice is on Monday evenings. Please contact acting Fire Chief Mark Robert at 604-414-9662 for more info.

CONTACT: Email contact@vananda-id.ca Phone: 604-486-7035 Website: vananda-id.ca

NEXT MEETING: Residents are encouraged to join us for regular Board Meetings. Next meeting is Wednesday NOV 15^th 1.30 Van Anda Firehall (upstairs).

Hello Texada!  Here are a few notes from our last regular board meeting, held Sep 13^th.

WATER: Due to serious concern about the possibility of low lake levels affecting the water intake pump, we installed the identical backup pump on a float 150 ft from shore. This is working perfectly, and we are about to begin the next part of the project – deepening the wet well and cleaning the intake line.

There is plentiful water in the lake, but the pump well is not deep enough.

Water restrictions have been in place because of the limited water processing capabilities of the Water Treatment Plant. August’s average daily volume of water treated was about 93,000 US gallon/day (352 cubic meters) with most days between 80,000 & 100,000 USG. More water data can be seen at vananda-id.ca/water-data/

No new water connection applications have been received this year. When considering new applications, the trustees consider the impacts of providing the service requested, such as available resources, the effect on existing services, and feasibility of maintaining the proposed service – from VAID’s Development Policy.

FIRE PROTECTION: Van Anda and Gillies Bay firefighters continue working well together at the incidents where both Fire Departments respond. Monday night fire practices are back after the summer break. Please contact acting Fire Chief Mark Robert at 604-414-9662 for more info.

NEWSLETTER: Earlier this year, community members requested more frequent newsletters than those provided twice a year (Annual Newsletter and AGM Report). Since then, we have been publishing informational articles monthly in the Express Lines, and now these are also available on the VAID website. Visit vananda-id.ca/newsletters/ to see these.

CONTACT: Email contact@vananda-id.ca Phone: 604-486-7035 Website: vananda-id.ca

NEXT MEETING: OCT 18^th 1.30 Van Anda Firehall (upstairs).

Hello Texada!  We welcome new employees Joseph Scott (Administrative Assistant) and Marianne Segers (Water Operator). Both bring a range of skills to the team. Here are a few notes from our last regular board meeting, held Aug 16^th.

WATER: The increased summer water use has been a challenge in keeping the Treatment Plant operating smoothly. Variations in the plant functioning combined with large fluctuations in water use can cause imbalance in the chlorine levels. There may have been times when you noticed a stronger chlorine smell while we were sorting this out.

Water safety standards state minimum and maximum levels of chlorine be present at the furthest point from treatment. VAID is consistent in keeping within these levels. Please note that running water for extended periods may increase the amount of chlorine in your water, as chlorine degrades quickly over time.

Regarding the variations in water demand, we regularly see daily differences of 15,000 US gallons or more. Some days have been 25 or even 30,000 more than the previous day, often occurring at night. Usage drops noticeably for a few days after rain. We ask that you check your watering systems for leaks, especially in-ground systems where the leak may not be obvious. As an example, a quarter inch hole in Van Anda can leak 10,000 gallons overnight! Another common water loss is from hoses left on – a half inch hose left running for 6 hours can waste 17,500 gallons.

Thanks for the info received regarding water use in our community and please continue to contact us about your concerns.

FIRE PROTECTION: Monday night fire practices will be starting again on Sep 11, after the summer break. Please contact acting Fire Chief Mark Robert at 604-414-9662 for more info.

More INFORMATION on VAID is available at www.vananda-id.ca.

NEXT MEETING: SEP 13^th

Hello Texada!  Here are a few notes from our last Van Anda Improvement District (VAID) regular board meeting held Jul 12^th.

WATER: Stage 3 Water Restrictions were implemented at the beginning of July. This year’s summer usage is more than expected and the increase since spring is more than in previous years. This may signify new leaks or water use changes. Investigations are continuing. Please help by letting us know of any water use concerns – email contact@vananada-id.ca or leave a message at 604-486-7035.

The Jul 7 article in the Powell River Peak stated that there is plenty of water for the new subdivision and the mining application. This information is from before the increased summer usage and is no longer applicable. Applications for new connections and other water provision will continue to be considered carefully.

Van Anda’s treated water is not allowed to be supplied to outside the district. This very clear in the Water Regulation Bylaw, which is available online at www.vananda-id.ca/bylaws. Measures are being taken to ensure that water cannot be taken from VAID. Bulk water may be available by approval – contact the office.

Please remember to use water responsibility – by fixing leaks, watering between 8 pm and 8 am (no lawn watering), and conserving water when possible.      See the Water Restriction Chart for more details.

FIRE PROTECTION: One of the reasons for Stage 3 Water Restrictions is to keep the water storage tank full. High water usage can cause the water level in the tank to be too low to provide enough water for fire fighting needs.

INFORMATION concerning VAID is available at our website www.vananda-id.ca.

NEXT MEETING: Residents are encouraged to attend VAID meetings. Next meeting is AUG 16^th at 1:30pm, upstairs at the fire hall in Van Anda.

Hello Texada!  Here are a few notes from our last Van Anda Improvement District (VAID) regular board meeting held June 14^th.

WATER: Water gain from a day of rain: approximately 2 centimetres (.75 inch) measured at Priest Lake.

Daily water loss from evaporation with no rain: approximately 0.6 – 1.27 centimetres (0.25 – 0.50 inches) depending on heat.

We experienced unseasonable heat in May and an extended dry spell which brought Priest Lake to its lowest level in recent years for May. Even after the recent rain, the lake level is still lower that it was on this date in 2021.

The trend toward hotter, drier conditions during summer is forecast to continue. Improved water intake options and pumping capabilities for fire protection use are still being explored.

Water use rose gradually as the dry spell continued, with daily average of 110,000 USG (416 m3) per day for the week before it rained. As of Jun 20, the daily average is 88,000 USG (333 m3).

If we wish to have access to sufficient, clean drinking water for daily consumption we must address and correct all water leaks, water waste and water theft. If you notice standing water, wet ground around town, or have any concerns, please let a VAID board member or the office know.

FIRE PROTECTION: Crescent Bay residents approached acting Fire Chief Mark Robert for fire protection.

This can be provided if properties are in the Improvement District, so a boundary amendment is required. This is a lengthy process and must be initiated by the property owners.

INFORMATION concerning VAID is available at our website www.vananda-id.ca. A quarterly newsletter is underway.

NEXT MEETING: Residents are encouraged to attend VAID meetings. Next meeting is July 12^th at 1:30pm, upstairs at the fire hall in Van Anda.