The Regional District of the Okanagan Similkameen is on its way to taking over operation of the Willowbrook Water System.
On Nov. 5 council gave first, second and third reading to the Willowbrook Water Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2709, which sets the wheels in motion for the district to take over operation of the small water service area, pending the approval of the approximately 180 residents the system serves.
Willowbrook Utilities is the private company currently operating the water system. In 2010 the company’s owners asked the RODS to look into taking over the system, which is located in the community of Willowbrook, north-west of the Town of Oliver.
According to a report written by consultants at MMM Group Ltd. for the RDOS, the system is in good condition, but will need some infrastructure upgrades in the near future.
The report calls for a second well, pump, backup generator and second reservoir to be built as a redundancy, as well as installation of additional isolation valves, wellhead protection and more.
The MMM report states that the current fees paid by residents using the system are sufficient to cover cost of its day-to-day operation, but in order to pay for the $1,072,500 worth of infrastructure upgrades those fees will likely have to go up.
“An increase to the existing fee or a separate charge of $236 per unit per year is required to fund capital expenses,” it says.
Roger Huston, the manager of the Department of Public Works, said the RDOS isn’t “contemplating any rate increases” at this time, and is right now focusing on identifying and bring the service area under RDOS control.
He noted that the infrastructure is in good condition, but that infrastructure upgrades will cost the RDOS in the long run. ”I don’t believe there are any reserves put away for [infrastructure upgrades] at all,” he said.
The upside, he said, is that as a government body the RDOS has the ability to bring in grant money, potentially easing the tax burden on the system’s users.
“That’s the dance we try to do, is try to leverage as much grants as we can so it’s not hurting the residents,” he said.
Huston said that now that the bylaw has passed its first three readings, the RDOS will reach out to residents affected by the change in ownership through the Alternative Approval Process. Through this process each affected resident will be contacted, and will have 30 days to register any objections.
If 10 per cent or more of residents are against the change, it will be stopped.
Once the AAP process is completed, and if residents don’t have any objections, Huston said the bylaw will be sent to the provincial government for its approval. If that comes back, the RDOS will give its final vote.
Huston guessed that won’t happen until early 2016.
He said that the change in ownership won’t negatively affect water clarity, pressure or quality, and if anything should make it better as the RDOS invests in infrastructure upgrades.
By Trevor Nichols
