Gerry Niederlinski hoses down his backyard plants and lawn furniture every day, washing off the dust kicked by the blasting operations and grading work at a nearby new home construction site in Sooke.

B次元官网网址淭he dust is terrible,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his is the time of year when people like to enjoy the outdoors and like to open their windows and doors to get fresh air. You canB次元官网网址檛 do that now.B次元官网网址�

When the blasting started in early spring, Niederlinski said there was little dust, but since the warm, dry weather hit, heB次元官网网址檚 seen nothing but dust storms. His Rise townhouse nestled in Stonecreek Estates is covered in dust inside and out.

Niederlinski and his neighbours have complained to the District of Sooke about the blasting, which they say starts before the bylaw allows, and the plumes of dust, but little is done.

He said once a complaint is lodged, the dust will subside for a little bit only to return in a few days.

The district has acted on every complaint, said Rob Howat, director development services, adding the developer has responded to all requests for dust abatement.

The Victoria-based developer is building Viewpoint Estates, formerly known as Spiritwood, a master planned community off Rudd Road. The company is constructing 20 lots, another 123 are expected in the future.

Dust is an expected byproduct of development, Howat said, and water used for suppression will evaporate quickly on a hot, dry day.

B次元官网网址淵ou can do the best you can to try to use water trucks and suppress the dust, but if itB次元官网网址檚 a hot, dry day in July, thereB次元官网网址檚 only so much you can do,B次元官网网址� he said.

Still, Niederlinski said the district should be enforcing it bylaws.

B次元官网网址楾he bylaw states dust must be controlled. These folks made no effort to control dust.B次元官网网址�

Howat said the developer has not broken any bylaws. B次元官网网址淓ach time theyB次元官网网址檝e been confronted with a problem, theyB次元官网网址檝e rectified it.B次元官网网址�