Langley, B.C. – The British Columbia Ground Water Association Trade Show, Convention and Annual General Meeting is set for April 4-5 in Langley, B.C.
For the annual event, which will take place at the Coast Langley Hotel & Convention Centre, BCGWA general manager Kathy Tixier and her team have organized a two-day interactive trade show with two dozen booths, AGM and full slate of education sessions on such topics as flowing artesian wells, ground water regulations and information resources in B.C.
New this year are a full-day Well Pump Installer course and an opportunity to challenge the Industry Training Authority (ITA) Well Pump Installer exam to become licensed.
The convention, which saw attendance of about 150 in 2017, is being held a month later than usual to accommodate members from the Central Interior, where roads are often icy and sometimes closed during early March, Tixier said.
The theme of the convention is “A Wellspring of Information.”
Day 1 will focus on the regulatory side with government representatives providing information about well licensing, the province’s online interface for accessing well records and issues relating to compliance.
NGWA’s president-elect Scott King, associate hydrogeologist at AMEC Foster Wheeler, is among notable speakers. King will speak on the topic of oil sands and ground water.
Day 2 will be given over to flowing artesian wells. Last year the association raised awareness of the thorny issues that can come up when facing these unpredictable conditions. “This year is all about empowering people so they have a clear idea of what their responsibilities are,” Tixier said. “It’s a place for learning, and learning can only improve people’s decision-making.”
A lot of people haven’t had much firsthand experience with these wells and need good information, she said.
You can learn a lot from online resources, she added, but because Mother Nature is unpredictable, the more insights you can gain from others, the better prepared you will be when presented with flowing artesian conditions.
A highlight of Day 2 will be a keynote address by Wally Wells, executive director of Asset Management BC.
The Well Pump Installer training course is open to well drillers, engineers, students and anyone else interested in learning about pump installation. She points out that although you need pre-approval to challenge the exam, not everyone who is taking the course is taking the exam. Some come simply to learn. Taking the course does not automatically qualify you to take the exam, she noted, adding that there are several steps prospective challengers need to take.
Wednesday night, attendees will be treated to a Hard Day’s Night with the Fab Fourever at the president’s gala.
The cut-off date for registration is March 23. Information about the course, the exam and the convention is available here.
Print this page
