Cleanup group frustrated as illegal dumping in the Okanagan continues to threaten waterways

A volunteer cleanup group operating in Kelowna, B.C., is raising concerns over people dumping waste, garbage and pollutants in or near bodies of water in the Okanagan as the threat of spring flooding looms.

Illegal dumping remains a serious problem, says Kane Blake, head of the Okanagan Forest Task Force which has been cleaning up the area's forests since 2016.

"It's just disgusting," he said. "If you don't know right from wrong now, you'll never know."

Blake said any flooding this spring will move contaminated waters into bodies of water frequented by the public.

Another pressing concern for Blake is the potential damage that could be done to any wildlife that drink from contaminated water.

"We see it all the time. You see it in the spring run-off," said Blake.

"You actually see garbage floating down. It's very disgusting to see."

Blake said he recently obtained photos of a truck that was left partially submerged in water near Postill Lake during the weekend and leaked motor oil into the environment.

Blake said the photos identify the vehicle and he is working with the RCMP to locate the owner.

The leaking truck was reported shortly after another member of the group found a separate dumping site on the shore of Mill Creek, a waterway which eventually feeds into Okanagan Lake.

Challenges to enforcing laws

Last year, in an effort to dissuade any would-be polluters, the task force positioned web cameras in the forest, but Blake said illegal dumpers have so far not been deterred.

The Regional District of Central Okanagan's waste reduction coordinator, Cynthia Coates, said enforcing dumping laws in B.C.'s densely forested areas can be tricky.

Coates said her district assists in clean-ups where they can, but enforcing laws to prohibit illegal dumping on Crown land falls under the jurisdiction of the province.

Also, the type of pollution and the exact location of the contamination can complicate which level of government has the jurisdiction to enforce dumping laws, she said.

She said there is an opportunity for overlapping jurisdictions to work on a streamlined response process.

Coates said her district tries to clean up garbage as soon as it is reported, but anyone who sees illegal dumping that poses a serious environmental threat should phone the province's Report All Poachers and Polluters tip line at 1-877-952-7277.

​Blake said there needs to be higher fines and more stringent enforcement to stop the dumping, and said polluters continue to muddy the waters because they don't fear strong repercussions.

He said the Okanagan Forest Task Force is now working to install high-definition surveillance cameras at dumping "hot spots" which he hopes will help better identify culprits.

With files from Daybreak South