History of the SSI Water Preservation Society
The Salt Spring Island Water Preservation Society was founded in 1982 for the following purposes:
The Society’s original founders were: Sidney Filkow, Tom Gossett, Michael Larmour, Gail Secor and John Crofton. The Society became well known through its efforts to preserve the quality of drinking water in the four potable water producing lakes―St. Mary, Maxwell, Cusheon and Weston Lakes―and its long legal battle to keep gasoline power motors out of St. Mary Lake. The Society took the case to the Supreme Court of Canada. Its eventual victory in court established the important precedent that communities nation-wide can declare their lakes electric motor only (EMO) for the purpose of preventing pollution. Before that, a Canadian community could use only the Canada Shipping Act to declare a lake EMO for the purpose of safety.
Maxwell Lake
In 2002, the Society helped raise a significant portion of the total funds ($1.2 million) to purchase the primary and secondary watersheds of Maxwell Lake from Texada Land Co. The Society, which currently owns 20 acres of the secondary watershed of Maxwell Lake, understood the importance of protecting the water sources for Maxwell Lake because it is the only intact and relatively undeveloped potable water-producing watershed on the island. This purchase resulted in this land being protected from development with its forest cover intact.
St. Mary Lake
In 1986, the Society signed an agreement and covenant with Channel Ridge Properties and the Islands Trust regarding the development of the Channel Ridge Properties, including 272 acres of the St. Mary Lake watershed. Specified in this agreement and covenant was the understanding that in return for the right to build 577 residential dwelling units clustered in one area, Channel Ridge Properties would transfer the watershed lands to the Society in three parcels over a period of fifteen years. This transfer was completed in 2003. As a result, the Society currently owns the 272-acre portion. The Society also agreed to allow public access to hiking trails on the watershed lands. The Society has established a conservation covenant on these lands so they will be protected in their natural state for ever. The covenant is held by the Salt Spring Island Conservancy.
Most recently, the Society has been working to protect the watersheds of our drinking water lakes by
Salt Spring Island Fresh Water Catalogue
A new project is the creation of the Fresh Water Catalogue. This is a citizen science project that is collecting data and informal information in support of improving our understanding of the quality of our surface and groundwater.
- protect the sources of drinking water on SSI,
- promote research into water resources, and
- increase public awareness of the value of water resources.
The Society’s original founders were: Sidney Filkow, Tom Gossett, Michael Larmour, Gail Secor and John Crofton. The Society became well known through its efforts to preserve the quality of drinking water in the four potable water producing lakes―St. Mary, Maxwell, Cusheon and Weston Lakes―and its long legal battle to keep gasoline power motors out of St. Mary Lake. The Society took the case to the Supreme Court of Canada. Its eventual victory in court established the important precedent that communities nation-wide can declare their lakes electric motor only (EMO) for the purpose of preventing pollution. Before that, a Canadian community could use only the Canada Shipping Act to declare a lake EMO for the purpose of safety.
Maxwell Lake
In 2002, the Society helped raise a significant portion of the total funds ($1.2 million) to purchase the primary and secondary watersheds of Maxwell Lake from Texada Land Co. The Society, which currently owns 20 acres of the secondary watershed of Maxwell Lake, understood the importance of protecting the water sources for Maxwell Lake because it is the only intact and relatively undeveloped potable water-producing watershed on the island. This purchase resulted in this land being protected from development with its forest cover intact.
St. Mary Lake
In 1986, the Society signed an agreement and covenant with Channel Ridge Properties and the Islands Trust regarding the development of the Channel Ridge Properties, including 272 acres of the St. Mary Lake watershed. Specified in this agreement and covenant was the understanding that in return for the right to build 577 residential dwelling units clustered in one area, Channel Ridge Properties would transfer the watershed lands to the Society in three parcels over a period of fifteen years. This transfer was completed in 2003. As a result, the Society currently owns the 272-acre portion. The Society also agreed to allow public access to hiking trails on the watershed lands. The Society has established a conservation covenant on these lands so they will be protected in their natural state for ever. The covenant is held by the Salt Spring Island Conservancy.
Most recently, the Society has been working to protect the watersheds of our drinking water lakes by
- holding public education workshops on water supply and water quality issues,
- distributing educational materials about how the public can protect our drinking water lakes and the watersheds that supply them,
- monitoring local government actions that could impact drinking water sources and informing WPS members about those actions, and
- opposing activities around drinking water lakes that could harm water quality.
Salt Spring Island Fresh Water Catalogue
A new project is the creation of the Fresh Water Catalogue. This is a citizen science project that is collecting data and informal information in support of improving our understanding of the quality of our surface and groundwater.
