Town council and staff raised a glass (of crystal clear water) last Friday to celebrate the completion of the water-twinning project in Oliver.
The Town invited many people, including pioneer families to celebrate the occasion at Fairview Mountain Golf Course on September 12.
The momentous, 10-year, $11 million project brought domestic (potable) water to rural residents. For years they basically relied on “ditch water” that they had to boil in order to drink.
Audrey Mayer, who lives north of Oliver, had the burdening task of boiling her water every season.
“I am very happy to have clean drinking water (now). We appreciate the efforts of all those who banded together to make it happen,” she told the Chronicle.
“We are enjoying the ease and convenience of our clean water and still making sure to treat this resource with respect.”
Mayor Ron Hovanes said the three-phase project was a number one priority for the Town.
“We should all be proud as we agreed early on that all water users, urban and rural, would pay for the local share of this project. For a relatively small community we can be proud of providing truly best practices when delivering services to our community,” Hovanes said.
The mayor recalled that prior to the twinning, rural homes had potable town water in the winter, but when the canal was filled in the spring, irrigation water (ditch water) was what they received in their taps.
Prior to pressurization in the late 1960s, rural residents had ditch water in the growing season, and many had cisterns that they would fill with the ditch water to get them through the winter.
“With the open canal , there was always a huge risk of contamination,” Hovanes said. “Today we no longer need to disinfect our irrigation water and all our homes have potable water that meets Interior Health standards for their personal use.”
Water councillor Rick Machial singled out Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson as the catalyst that brought the project forward.
Larson commented on how important relationships with governments and staff had to be to make it work.
“It’s really important to realize it’s not just a project’s worth that determines what will be supported, but the respect shown the ministers and staff involved that truly determine whether a project will go forward or not. The Town of Oliver at all levels has earned that respect.”
Retired speaker of the legislature Bill Barisoff spoke of the great quality of submissions that the Town of Oliver produced over the years that caught the attention of senior government.
During the celebration, long-time farmer Greg Norton spoke of the original canal project and how it created Oliver’s farming community.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
