Residential property owners who live in Irrigation Districts 8 and 9 will now be under the same water restrictions as property owners in the Town of Osoyoos after town council voted unanimously Monday to implement domestic water restrictions effective immediately.

This decision did not go down well with Claude Moreira, who along with Sarabjit Rai, are the two water councillors who were elected specifically to deal with “water matters” discussed and voted on by town council.

Moreira was visibly upset when Mayor Sue McKortoff and councillors C. J. Rhodes, Mike Campol, Carol Youngberg and Jim King voted unanimously in favour of a staff recommendation to implement Level 2 domestic water restrictions for Irrigation Districts 8 and 9, located north and south of Town of Osoyoos boundaries.

This means residential property owners in both districts will be limited to watering their lawns twice weekly, effective immediately, said chief administrative officer Barry Romanko.

“I don’t understand why council is doing this,” said Moreira. “I don’t understand how you can pass this motion.”

It was his understanding of municipal rules and regulations and a longstanding “Order in Council” that if one water councillor objected, any motion passed by town councillors relating to water matters would be defeated, said Moreira.

Romanko agreed to personally review that order in council Moreira was referring to and determined “the town is the water purveyor” under municipal regulations and town council has the right to bring forward and pass or defeat motions as long as water councillors participate in the vote.

Moreira told council it was his understanding that water councillors must agree with a motion passed by town council or that motion would be defeated.

“Any issues involving water … we have to be involved,” said Moreira. “That is what we were elected to do. I feel this council has crossed the line.”

Moreira said he hasn’t been personally invited to any in camera meeting relating to water matters for the past nine years.

“Before the last three councils, we were invited to meetings (about water matters),” he said.

McKortoff said she didn’t recall a single meeting, in camera or not, involving water matters where the two elected water councillors weren’t invited to participate.

After the meeting, Moreira said he respects council’s decision, but said he wanted to read the order in council personally to determine if his interpretation was correct.

“I could be wrong,” he said.

If his interpretation was correct, he would ask council to revisit this matter as quickly as possible, he said.

On June 2, town council agreed to implement twice a week watering as provided in the town’s watering conservation bylaw.

Council discussed whether or not to extend the same watering restrictions to residents in Irrigation District 8 and 9 at its meeting on July 20.

“Many comments have been received in the town office that town residents are doing their share to conserve water, but domestic watering in Irrigation Districts 8 and 9 continue on a normal fashion,” said Romanko. “Public recommendations have been made that council consider implementing similar domestic watering restrictions. Drought conditions are viewed as a valley wide concern … and all residents need to participate in water conservation actions.

“Administration recognizes that in Irrigation Districts 8 and 9, links may exist between agricultural irrigation and domestic irrigation. Therefore, in some situations implementation of domestic water restrictions may not be possible. The district also includes many residential/acreage properties and implementation of domestic water restrictions are possible.”

Council was given the option to implement the same water restrictions in the districts as in the town, allow for once a week watering in the town or implement once a week watering in the town and districts.

Administration recommended implementing the same twice a week watering restrictions in the districts as are now in place in town.

As has taken place with bylaw enforcement in town, property owners will be given warnings before any bylaw infraction ticket is issued, said Romanko.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times