Juan de Fuca residents have right to water

Re: “Urban sprawl detrimental to public health,” column, Nov. 22.

One of Trevor Hancock’s solutions to urban sprawl appears to be to deny the extension of water to Juan de Fuca residents.

The United Nations, federal Green Party, provincial Green Party, Suzuki Foundation and Union of British Columbia Municipalities support an Environmental Bill of Rights that guarantees every Canadian clean drinking water. Hancock, however, appears to believe that the Capital Regional District and society should deny less than one per cent of our CRD residents the right to affordable, clean, beautiful water that originates in their backyard.

Regardless of academics and scholars, Juan de Fuca will continue in our pursuit to have access to piped water. We believe that urban sprawl is controlled through official community plans and zoning approved by the CRD board. Metchosin proves this theory, as it provides water throughout the municipality and has the lowest growth rate in the CRD.

We have a only handful of residents who could ever take advantage of water extension, but we feel strongly that it is our right to make that decision. It not the right of Hancock, municipal planners or CRD directors to deny our residents this basic necessity.

Mike Hicks Regional director Juan de Fuca Electoral Area