BC NDP

VICTORIA - Experts in public health and environmental law are echoing New Democrat warnings about how Gordon Campbell's deregulation agenda threatens safe drinking water. A new report by Sewerage Safety Regulation Improvement Coalition condemns the B.C. Liberal government for its "careless deregulation" of onsite septic systems.

"A year ago New Democrats called on this government to restore effective oversight of these systems for the sake of the public. Today's report confirms in grim detail how the Campbell Liberals put ideology before common sense and have put drinking water at risk in many B.C. communities. The government has set the stage for a public health disaster," said New Democrat health critic Adrian Dix.

"They clearly have learned no lessons from Walkerton," added Robin Austin, the New Democrat fisheries critic. In 2005, only three years after the Walkerton inquiry, Gordon Campbell deregulated B.C. septic systems by introducing the Sewerage System Regulation.

"Government officials themselves on are now on the record saying SSR ranks as one of the worst health laws in history," said Charlie Wyse, MLA for Cariboo South.

SSR's serious flaws include how it ludicrously obstructs decisions that would protect British Columbians. "Under Campbell's law, public health inspectors are not allowed to stop the installation of septic systems that would pollute the water supply," said Bob Simpson, MLA for Cariboo North.

Last April, Charlie Wyse called on Health Minister George Abbott to fix SSR. Abbott replied: "I think the sewage regulations have worked generally very well."

The coalition, which includes the Public Health Association of B.C., the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors and the B.C. Shellfish Growers' Association assisted by the University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre, is calling for immediate reform of the law.

"This report shows that the minister was not only wrong, he was reckless in his approach. Mr. Abbott's view is now contradicted by public health experts and even his own ministry staff," concluded Wyse.

Transcript of Minister Abbott's assessment of SSR can be found here: http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/38th4th/h80430p.htm#11780; the report is available at www.elc.uvic.ca