Tell me truthfully. Would I move to a place that didn’t have water? Heavens, no!

I’m asked this question many, many times, given that I live and work on Gabriola Island. I would expect that this is a very common concern for just about all of us, and especially for women.

Hah! I thought that might get your attention. Why women you say, and not men or children, cats and ducks. The fact is that most of the time, in my career as a REALTOR®, it is women who make the decision to buy, where, when and how.

With close scrutiny by the hairy eyeball, the question comes. “What’s this about the water here?” A pause. They are waiting for me to skirt the issue  or deflect, look down at my shoes, look up in the sky.

Na Na, nope, … and I start a long conversation which could go on for hours, or days. Suffice it to say, “water management, water conservation”. That’s what it’s all about these days. No matter if you’re in Vancouver, New York, Moscow or Beijing.  Everyone, and I really, really mean that – everyone should be aware of how their water works.

Let’s start with Gabriola. Here we have a myriad of ways in which water is managed. Each home will likely have a drilled well, but not always, and this is the start of an adventure in water systems.

Let me give you a quick and simple scenario: I moved from the metropolis of Vancouver where you just about can have what you want, any time of the day and night. Moving to Gabriola, I found that I had a drilled well. It registered at six gallons per minute when it was originally drilled, and the depth was 165 feet, with a static level of 65 feet. “Hum. Greek to me,” I said. This water is pumped up to the surface and then goes through a series of filters and an ultraviolet light system, delivering clean and pure water for me to drink safely. I test my water on a regular basis and compare the results to the potable Canadian Drinking Water Standards.

I admit that it took me some time to get my head around all this. But here on Gabriola, we have water treatment professionals who install systems, do the testing, and can upgrade water systems. In this diverse community just 20 minutes from Nanaimo, you might find yourself being very impressed with the expertise right here. Just ask me!

Now, let’s deviate for a bit. Ever thought you couldn’t possibly drink water collected from your roof? Sound yucky? Hey, well, you’re in for a big surprise. There are many of these water catchment systems on Gabriola. Each one has a certain purpose, thus the installation and treatment of the water could take on a specific purpose, specially geared to your home usage and even your garden usage.

When I’m contacted by those looking to move to their new home in the Gulf Islands, and are looking at Gabriola too, I expect they’ll have lots and lots of questions. Let me leave you with this one thought, “Would you move to a place where you didn’t know if there was enough water?” Hardly.

To state the obvious, I’m a woman. Water is important to me for drinking, cooking, washing, irrigating my garden and growing my vegetables. I can do it all just by knowing how to manage the water I have. And, if I have a question, I know many water specialists who would be delighted to engage in a lengthy conversation on this very subject, right here on Gabriola.

Next time we’ll talk about septic systems. They might seem yucky, but honestly they are very, very interesting.

Carol Martin
Coast Realty Group
250-247-9333
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