It seems to me that the Fraser Health Authority is looking more and more like an institution that is having too much authority and is exercising too much power.
I thought that civil servants should serve the community rather than being served under semi false pretensions. Three incidents of E.coli occurrence (without any ill effects) in five years appears to that institution like a high risk, while slowly poisoning a population of 80,000 with chlorine is supposedly a low risk, simply because the effects can only be measured over a much longer term and are therefore ignored.
While chlorination may be common practice, it does not mean that it is healthy. Chlorine is one of the most potent poisons and adding it at low proportions to water does not make it healthy. I find it appalling that any individual or institution is able to force a system like chlorination on a population of 80,000, while there is no evidence any person has been affected by a case of E.coli contamination (by drinking the water here in Chilliwack).
What I find unbelievable is that an educated man as Dr. Lem drinks from an open stream (as he stated). Any open stream can be contaminated by droppings from wild animals, birds, rats etc. Is that not lacking some sound judgement? Comparing it to a closely monitored closed system is highly unscientific.
Decisions like chlorinating a water system should be based on solid scientific evidence; not on the opinion of anyone, even if highly educated. Exposure to possible e-coli in water may be conceived a risk, but exposure to it other than from water is likely much higher.
I have enjoyed our water for several decades without any ill effect and I appreciate the efforts of our city to have kept it enjoyable.
Is this the same institution that declares raw milk a high risk and is quite willing to force the issue, no matter what? I cannot escape the view that some people (there) do not have the welfare of our population at heart, but the sheer power of forcing an issue.
It is also clear that the FHA is not footing the bill, it can be counted on that each Chilliwack family may have to pay for something that is not healthy and likely unwanted by many.
Frans Dullemond