The issue of where to get water supply isn’t over for the District of Lantzville despite a new deal with the City of Nanaimo.
District politicians gave early approval at a committee of the whole meeting Monday to hire a facilitator to help guide discussion on the next steps and priority actions for water supply.
Increasing the district’s water supply continues to be a No.1 priority for the municipality, which signed a water deal with Nanaimo eight months ago to hook up residents to the city’s supply.
But a strategic planning session in January indicated “little consensus” among councillors on how the district should move forward, a district report says.
Councillors Jennifer Millbank and Graham Savage confirm there’s disagreement on water supply and both see a facilitator as a way to help.
Savage said while he’s opposed to reopening negotiations with Nanaimo because it would damage Lantzville’s credibility, he does want the district to move forward and find a solution. The community needs to know where the district is going, he said.
“If someone can help us move forward, that’s great. I don’t want to continue with this strong disagreement,” he said.
Millbank calls the deal with Nanaimo one that continues to be a good option, but a facilitator could help them identify other ones, she said.
The district also anticipates results of wellhead rehabilitation work, which could show it’s possible to get more water from existing wells, said Millbank, adding the report will factor into things.
The move to hire a facilitator still needs to be approved at the council level.