R. Thorpe: I have the honour to present the second report of the Select Standing Committee on Public Accounts for the fourth session of the thirty-sixth parliament, entitled "Protecting Drinking-Water Sources."

Hon. Speaker, I move that the report be taken as read and received.

Motion approved.

R. Thorpe: Hon. Speaker, I ask leave of the House to suspend the rules to permit the moving of a motion to adopt the report.

Leave granted.

R. Thorpe: I move that the report be adopted.

This report describes the work conducted by the Public Accounts Committee with respect to the protection of drinking water sources in our province and the high priority that British Columbians place on this issue.

Accordingly, the committee supports the 26 recommendations made by the auditor general in his March 1999 report on this topic. The recommendations of the auditor general will be reviewed and reported on every six months to the Public Accounts.

In light of recent events in our province and other parts of Canada, there can be no doubt as to the importance of this issue. Water is our most precious natural resource, and safe
 

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drinking water is crucial to the health of our society. It is imperative that we all remain focused and disciplined in working on the recommendations in this report.

With this report, the committee endeavours to advance the efforts of protecting drinking water sources in our province. I trust that all members will read this very important report.

I appreciate this opportunity to move the adoption of the committee's report, and as always, I would like to thank all the members of the committee for their contribution and commitment to this report.

E. Gillespie: I'm pleased to rise this afternoon in support of the motion to adopt the committee's report on the protection of drinking water sources. This report endorses the earlier work of the auditor general in examining the safety of provincial drinking water, particularly in smaller communities around our province.

In many regions, water sources are threatened by activities related to human settlement, including logging, mining, outdoor recreation, agriculture and transportation. The report also acknowledges progress made by the many agencies of government which have had a part to play in the protection of drinking water sources.

The committee's report also makes an important recommendation encouraging the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Ministry of Health to examine the need for MTBE testing in groundwater sources.

Hon. Speaker, safe drinking water sources are essential to the well-being of all British Columbians. As legislators, we have a responsibility to take a leadership role on this vital issue. I encourage all members of this House and British Columbians throughout the province to read the committee's report and to read the auditor general's report and to support the recommendations aimed at protecting and improving our drinking water sources.
 

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J. Weisgerber: I just want to add to the report how pleased I am with the decision of the Public Accounts Committee to ask for testing for MTBE in drinking water around this province. It's an issue that's emerging. It's an issue that's being addressed in California; it's being addressed by the Clinton administration at the federal level in the United States.

The recent spill at the Chevron refinery in Burnaby of about 800 barrels of primarily MTBE, along with the discovery of a massive underground storage tank leakage in Salmo, which contaminated soil and groundwater in that community, I think point to how relevant this issue is today and how important the protection of drinking water from fuel-additive contaminants is in our province.

Motion approved.