The District of Squamish has been given a warning for being non-compliant with its Environmental Assessment Certificate related to its wells at the Powerhouse Springs and Mamquam River sites.
were posted to the Environmental Assessment Office's (EAO) website on May 13.
The EAO is a provincial regulatory body tasked with assessing all major projects in 小蓝视频 for adverse effects.
The inspection record says the compliance officer discovered that what was authorized at the sites was different than what was originally approved in the District's Project Assessment Certificate (PAC).
"The PAC authorizes the project to construct a total of six groundwater wells鈥攖hree at the Powerhouse Springs Site and three at the Mamquam River Site, as well as a pumphouse at each location. However, the information provided indicates that seven wells and two pumphouses were constructed exclusively at the Powerhouse Springs Site, all of which are currently in operation," the inspection report states.
The warning letter from the EAO notes the consequences of the District not coming into compliance.
The maximum penalty for failure to comply with an Environmental Assessment Certificate is $1 million and on each subsequent conviction, a fine of not more than $2 million, the letter states.
'District has not exceeded its total licensed limit'
According to a spokesperson for the municipality, the District received its Environment Assessment Certificate for these wells in 1998.
The original certificate regulated three wells at Powerhouse Springs at a total capacity of 85 litres per second per well for a total capacity of 255 litres per second.
"For clarity, the District has not exceeded its total licensed limit of 255 litres per second. But rather, a greater number of wells were installed to try and achieve the licensed amounts," said Rachel Boguski, spokesperson for the District.
The District installed its first well in 1999.
In 2002, wells two and three were installed.
The first three wells did not provide the 85 litres per second capacity that was regulated under the Environment Assessment Certificate, according to Boguski.
The wells were rehabilitated to try and increase their capacity between 2003 and 2005.
"To satisfy increasing demands, well four was put into service in 2005, and three additional wells were installed and commissioned in 2008."
Boguski summarized that between 1999 and 2008, the District installed a total of seven wells in an effort to reach the total capacity allowed in the EA certificate.
In 2019, one well was decommissioned and replaced with a new well "due to declining performance."
Boguski said that in early 2025, District staff arranged a meeting with the Environmental Assessment Office to discuss future amendments to the municipality's certificate to increase the licensed limit "to account for increasing demands in accordance with the District鈥檚 Long Term Water Supply Strategy."
In that meeting, it came to light that the District was in non-compliance with its current certificate, which only allows three wells.
"The [EAO] notified the District that they would issue a non-compliance letter and that they would work with the District to regain compliance," Boguski said.
What now?
According to Boguski, District staff are currently working on a Request for Proposals to hire the required professionals who will help to prepare permitting applications and all associated studies and documentation so that the District can be brought into compliance, based on its current number of wells.
"The District is also working to increase our water licensing limit to allow for additional wells and a higher withdrawal limit at Powerhouse Springs to account for ongoing community growth," she said, adding the work is guided by the District鈥檚 Long Term Water Supply Strategy which was completed as part of the recent Water Master Plan.
