"Bringing Water to Victoria" a film by Eric Tolman

The development of the Sooke lake flow line from 1913-1915 was one of the greatest engineering accomplishments in BC at that time. With current world issues such as a lack of access to clean water, shortages in California and wars being fought globally over "blue gold", the maintenance and access to clean public water is all the more timely and relevant. Victoria and it's surrounding municipalities are blessed with one of the cleanest and most plentiful systems of clean water in Canada. This film tells the story of how this all happened and is based on the book of the same name by Charles W. Tolman. Previous audio and text errors have been fixed!

[@tynesidesteelerectors994]

Dignitaries are like blisters, they only appear when the hard work is done.

[@jaketoffen2454]

Crazy to think that we only got running water into our homes a mere 100 Years ago.... Bless these people ! I love Victoria ! ❤

[@erictolman3417]

I am very glad you enjoyed it-thanks for watching! The book of the same name is available throughout bookstores in Victoria and was written by my father, Charles Tolman!

[@annaenns]

Very happy to see Victoria succeed in a great water way, set out on so many ventures you look amazing as a Historic event awaiting the next steps right there in Victoria. As though water 💧 was an answer, cool. Also a book store you say, before I had a visit there and noted they were Famous for having, everything! Especially what I wanted, of, books, yet that's very nice of you to say you're father was published and can be found, there, exciting 😀

[@WetCoaster]

Thank you Eric for the production of this video. You have been able to answer many of my questions regarding the early water conveyance in Greater Victoria. It is neat to recognize places and see how different they look today. Thanks again

[@petermalone2440]

Eric I really enjoyed your video, very well produced with lots of good detail. I was the manager of engineering at The Greater Victoria Water Board for many years, and met your father and discussed the history and exchanged information a few times. I was always fascinated with the history, and think the construction of the flowline was one of the greatest projects of the era, especially the surveying aspect of it. In the video, you showed a lot of interesting facts and names that I did not know about, so thank you for that. Peter

[@erictolman3417]

Peter Malone Thank you for the kind words Peter and I completely agree that this was a remarkable engineering achievement. I am so glad you enjoyed the film!

[@boblordylordyhowie]

Nowadays in Scotland which has similar conditions, filtration is done with Polyaluminium Chloride and sandbeds. The Polyaluminium Chloride clumps small particles together which drop to the bottom and the sandbeds filter out pretty much everything else, even a small plant can filter 1 million litres/day.

[@sluggoboyce]

Incredible photos

[@dougnash6316]

Awesome history lesson. Thank you 👍👍 Bowen Island BC

[@MelioraCogito]

The Sooke aqueduct (a.k.a. Sooke flowline) was a popular hiking route in the '90s (I haven't been on it in 15 years when I was introducing it to my nephews). You would walk on top of the ~4 ft (1.220 m) O.D. diameter concrete pipe. In the mid-late 90's the CRD built wooden walkways alongside the pipe where the aqueduct crossed creeks (ravines) to improve hiker safety (with ladders at each side to ascend/descend to/from the top of the pipe onto the walkway, otherwise hikers would walk on the top of the pipe as they crossed the creeks - not for the feint of heart to be sure). My hiking companions and I would regularly hike up to the aqueduct via the Todd Creek Trail (an old logging road near the lower Sooke Pot Holes parking area), and walk it's length up to Leechtown (taking the Galloping Goose back to where we started). There's also a short distance access opposite the Barnes Station shelter (

[@lmiddleman]

This was very good. R. P. Rithet who got involved at 12:05 also *owned* Albion Iron Works who suffered from the fire described just before, so it's fair to say he was highly motivated to see the water situation improve. The dude was among other things a major importer with an extensive private dock at Ogden point and warehouses along Wharf street (today the "Rithet complex" on Wharf, between Fort St and Bastion Square, bears his name). Prior the CPR arrival at Vancouver in 1887, mail, goods, and personal travel in and out of Victoria was via San Francisco, and the vast majority of ships visiting the Rithet docks were from there. So to say Rithet had San Francisco connections is a bit of an understatement.

[@MrBaddabaddaboom]

This is a great piece of work. Thank you I really enjoyed it and have shared it with my family.

[@sammynoseberg7847]

Excellent video!

[@davidrlindsay]

Great story. Great narrative and Great photos.

[@Fernwoodgal]

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing.

[@maximumpower102]

fantastic job,a joy to watch.

[@erictolman3417]

Thanks kindly! I appreciate it!

[@drofilc53]

Very well done!

[@0kailee0]

So the Sooke pipeline was basically the Johnson Bridge project of the early 20th century. I'm just being facetious, though! You did an excellent job with the research, photos, and videography! It was very informative and I appreciate learning of this historical structure as it's a useful landmark for hiking.

[@erictolman3417]

Yes that is a very good analogy with the Johnson Street Bridge. Thank you for the kind words and if you are interested in local history I have done another film on Arthur Currie during the Victoria years that you may find interesting as well. Thanks again!

[@mikaericson726]

@@erictolman3417 link please

[@erictolmanshistorylectures90]

@@mikaericson726 just enter in KZbin "Arthur Currie the Victoria years 1894 to 1914"

[@rogergiddy2634]

enjoyed watching ,great job

[@erictolman3417]

I'm very glad to hear this and appreciate the comment! I have two other films; one dealing with general Arthur Currie and his 20-year stint in Victoria BC and another one dealing with the Canadian volunteers in the Spanish civil War

[@paulacarr865]

This was very, very interesting, and Eric your narration was excellent! What's next..... perhaps the building of the Ogden Point Breakwater?

[@erictolman3417]

Thank you very much for the kind words Paula. My next film project is a bit of local military history and I am currently in the research stages of the project. If all goes as planned, the film will be a biography of Arthur Currie during his 20 years in Victoria from 1894 to 1914.

[@carlsapartments8931]

very good video

[@SchwaAlien]

There’s a serious lack of referendums these days, and we have the technology to do it all the time now, unlike the old days where it would have been quite the expense and effort. At minimum we should have an annual confidence referendum so we can put these insanely corrupt politicians out to pasture every so often, as necessary to remind them who they are supposed to work as employees for.

[@widgywji]

Quite remarkable. Thank you. P.S. We were filming at Cooper's Cove yesterday.

[@erictolman3417]

Thank you Bill! what were you filming at Cooper's Cove

[@widgywji]

@@erictolman3417 HMCS Cowichan from drone and telephoto lens kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppyspnuogLB9itU (two-day shoot)

[@seanfraser9162]

great work on the video. nicely done. I gotta say though, why the hell would you build up a city in a place that had no water?

[@haydendobie859]

Las Vegas?

[@peterparker9286]

Gold?

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Began work on January 16th ...my birthday 🎂 😄👋

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Excellent ...thank you Eric 👋✌💦🌊

[@tandemcompound2]

interesting vid. thanks. Victoria water tastes slightly brackish, Whistler water tastes the best.

[@widgywji]

Boyd Ehle 19:25 minute mark

[@fanyue2176]

Hi Eric, my name is Yue Fan. I truly need your dad’s book for my thesis. Could you let me know where I could find the book? By the way, I am in Calgary right now. Thanks!

[@erictolman3417]

I believe it is now out of print, but if you contact "The Sooke Regional Museum" they may have copies on site for sale. Look online for contact info

[@BlueBeeThemeMusic]

Can you name where these wars over water are being fought?

[@paulmaxwell8851]

Well, not all-out war, but the Israelis and the Palestinians are regularly fighting over water rights.

[@MaxTSanches]

14:30 Hmm... if your referendum does not pass ask again, and again, and again, until you get the answer you want.

[@lostmoose7352]

Why didnt they buy water in 5 gallon jugs at WM ...? 😉

[@Dan-nt2yb]

Because it was cheaper at Costco.🙂👍🏾

[@lostmoose7352]

😂😂😂😂👍👍👍👍