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March 20, 2024 - 7:00 PM
A Lee Creek RV park blamed annual flooding for its sewage leaks before the province slapped the owner with a $37,360 fine.
Cottonwood Cove RV Resort's untreated sewage leaked underground just 60 metres from Shuswap Lake dozens of times over the course of a year, according to environment ministry documents.
The ministry issued the penalty earlier this month nearly a year after its inspection.
The company said it's been trying to fix issues with the sewage treatment system, but pipes break every year as the lake level rises and falls, according to the decision.
“All I can say is that I have been working hard over the years, investing thousand of dollars to provide a better solution for the environment," read a letter Cottonwood Cove sent to the ministry.
The company also said the system doesn't work well because it doesn't treat sewage regularly each day. Instead, RV owners hold onto their wastewater, then dump the sewage all at once, putting strain on the treatment facility.
The ministry said it put "little weight" on Cottonwood's claims, because it didn't bring any evidence and because the company has been aware of its poor system since at least 2019.
The fact sewage pipes break annually is "alarming and further confirms" the leaks are affecting the environment, the decision read.
Whether sewage leaked into the lake or into any of the seven drinking water wells isn't known, but it is a risk, according to the decision.
Cottonwood Cove advertises itself as a luxury RV resort, renting spots for $103 to $257 per night for seven months of the year. The ministry found the resort had been a "successful financial investment," but hasn't invested in ensuring its own sewage system was working to protect people and the environment.
There are plans to replace the sewage system, but it's not clear how far along those plans are.
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