Water

Rain, fresh, salt, tears, sweat and all the other flowing forms it takes. Unlike other substances it expands when freezes and shrinks when heated, we are mostly made up of it and yet we waste it like it grows on trees… well I guess you could suck leaves. But that is labour intensive.

We’re running out of the fresh stuff, it’s polluted and it’s what the next wars will be fought over. More expensive than gasoline yet do we appreciate it as perhaps we could — if not should. I like mine room temperature but I’ve heard from Dr. Oz that if you use ice when drinking it your metabolism speeds up. Btw, if you like to suck or chew on ice that could mean you may be anemic. Check it out, Ji’s.

So what’s my point? We need water to survive and the way in which we consume it is paramount to our own and the planets health. Case in point is my water source at this moment is tainted with toxic cyanobacteria. This is caused by too much phosphorus. This is caused by run off from: the large impermeable surface (Cusheon Lake Rd) that surrounds it, poorly maintained septic systems, fertilizer and yes, unfortunately the natural stuff tto like decaying leaves and beaver and Canada geese poop.

Generally, a healthy riparian zone (the green area surrounding the water) can maintain and clean the nasty stuff out so it theoretically is drinkable without treatment. I used to drink this water straight from the lake as a kid. A few years back I got sick from the water and switch to bottled. Then I still got rashes from the shower.

So we had a UV treatment put in. Over the summer we’d heard from the Cusheon Lake Stewardship how good the water was looking — clarity wise. So thinking that now it was safe to drink through the tap now, drink I did. And soaked beans and made matcha and….

Well as I mentioned in my Thanks Giving post I got ill. Splitting headache and bowel issues. If this was indeed due to the algae bloom, it’s also highly possible my liver is damaged at the least and at worst I could keel over anytime. No, I’m not being dramatic — these kinds of algaeblooms can even create a fish kill. I’m taking no more chances — I’ve been sick from this water far too many times, Salt Spring bottled water it is.

The question is now. What’s up with the governing bodies when it comes to the health of the water on this island, and well, really world-wide.

DRINKING WATER ADVISORY FOR ALL PRIVATE WATER USERS

More to come — stay tuned!