We live in Courtenay where we have the privledge of getting our water supply from the Comox Lake which in turn gets its water from the snow from the mountains and the Glacier. Perfect water, as soft as Eider Down.  No trace of chemicals or minerals.  To drink our tap water is like drinking from the best of bottled water.  And we also get to water our lawn and flower beds with this marvelous water supply.    Should be the greatest of luxury.

The bad news is that the Comox Lake, while provincially owned, is managed by BC Hydro since they have a hydro dam that controls the level of the lake.  The town gets its water from the lake but there is a political issue on the lake management. 

This weekend is an example.  The runoff from the mountains is making the level of the lake high so BC Hydro, in connection with BC Tourism, is planning a white water river run down the Puntledge river which runs from the lake to the ocean.  White water fans from around the world (that according to the BC Hydro site) come to take part in this 3 day event.  In fact there are at most 200 people who take part as it is a very aggressive run. 

The bad part is that during this three-day run, they release as much water from the lake as all the town of Courtenay would use in an entire year.  BC Tourism thinks this is great, but none of the paddlers spend money in the community (think of  200 hippies)  After this flush is done they will be surprised, and announce watering restrictions in the valley, because the lake level is low,  just as we go into the drought of the summer. 

An annual political event as the town fights against provincial control of the water source.  Small town politics can be interesting.  Whatever, we do live in a water rich environment unlike most of the world, so not that serious, but it does fill the comment sections of the local paper each year.