In his letter, Mr. Webster asked if I ever eat fish, where I think rain comes from, if I like taking walks in the rain, and if I would like sewage-filled rain to pour onto ripening tomatoes or my head. The answers are: no, the sky, yes, no and no. In detail: for ethical reasons, I don’t eat meat, poultry or fish. I understand the hydrological cycle. I often walk in the rain, holding an umbrella and clad in water-repellent breathable fabric. I don’t understand where the questions about sewage-filled rain are coming from.
There is no scientific evidence that we need to build the sewage treatment plant. Because Victoria’s effluent discharges into seawater, we are not required by law to make a decision about building the sewage treatment plant before 2040. The same page on which my letter appeared had a headline about the housing affordability crisis. The cost of the sewage treatment plant contributes to the fact that students and others cannot afford to live in Victoria.
Robert Shepherd
Saanich