Plan B: Conserve water City of Lethbridge

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Sunny South News

Dear Editor:

I read in the Herald on January 25, 2024 that the City of Lethbridge’s Manager of Engineering and Environment, Mark Svenson, was looking for feedback on how to conserve water in the city of Lethbridge.

Lydia and I have been spending our vacation at Manitou Beach, Sask., for the past 15 years and have met Dale Hayter from Hayter Drilling. This company has drilled for water since 1958 and they have been successful. Watrous, Sask., has high mineral, and the water is salty, but Hayter Drilling have discovered water 300 feet deep with their drilling machine and cranes. I would like to suggest this same method to drill for water in southern Alberta and pump the water into a reservoir to help conserve water for all the communities in and around Lethbridge that get their water supply from the city. 

At one time Manitou Beach did not have running water and the people had to bring their own jugs. Today the village introduced reverse osmosis that is so much more convenient. 

Water shortage is likely because of climate change, uncontrollable forest fires, lack of snow in winter, shortage of rain in spring, and drought. We can do our part by planting sedum instead of grass for the lawn that will take less water. 

Industry should place a booster pump on the water line, repair or replace steam traps, check for leaks in hot water system for heating, check for leaks in the steam pipes and repair, when needed. Control CO2 in the atmosphere. Refer to reference books on how to remedy environmental problems. Commit to carbon capture in natural gas, oilfields and fossil fuels used in thermal stations.

Paul Jones, Coaldale