Dutch Creek will soon have a new water system, ensuring the small community will have water that meets provincial water quality regulations.

Homeowners from the subdivision voted on Saturday, August 1st to draw water from the new wells in Fairmont Hot Springs, using a pipeline that will run along the Highway 93/95 to Dutch Creek.

Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) Area F director Wendy Booth was not a part of the discussion since she is a property owner in Dutch Creek and wanted to avoid any conflict of interest.

Booth was able to, however, speak to the issue as a homeowner, saying the decision will provide the community with compliant Interior Health drinking water, which is something the Dutch Creek community has been trying to achieve for a number of years.

“Drilling wells was determined not to be feasible, in addition with the Dutch Creek changing course a few years ago, the intake was at risk. This decision makes sense as it provides compliant water in a reasonable timeline and cost. A big thank-you goes out to Len Luders and Bill Beamer from the community for all the work to bring this proposal forward,” said Booth.

The Echo attempted to contact Luders and Beamer for comment on the issue, but was unable to reach them prior to press deadline.

Fairmont Hot Spring Ltd. consultant Richard Haworth told The Echo the current Dutch Creek water system sometimes has problems with turbidity, which is why it doesn’t meet the provincial standards.

“We will be extending a line from Fairmont out to Dutch Creek once all our new wells are completed in Fairmont,” said Haworth. “They’ll (Dutch Creek) likely come on line in February 2016. It will all come together quickly because even though it’s a long pipeline, nearly three kilometres, it is fairly simple.”

The vote in favour of joining up with the Fairmont Hot Springs water system came during the Dutch Creek Homeowners Association’s annual general meeting.