A move towards a single water provider for the entire city of Kelowna may be a step closer now that a provincially-ordered value planning study has been completed.
But according to B.C. Premier Christy Clark, not all of the five water providers in the city are part of the new plan.
Clark, who met with Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran Friday afternoon and discussed the new Kelowna Water Value Planing Study, told the Capital News while some providers chose not be be part it, she hopes they all will join “once they see the benefits.”
She did not identify which providers did not participate but said “if it starts with two, that’s great.”
Regardless of participation by al the water providers however, Clark said the new study—which she described as a good plan—is what the government will move ahead with.
“This is the plan,” she said, adding the first phase will cost $43 million. That is the amount the city has already applied for as a grant for the South East Kelowna Irrigation District.
“Now that they have a plan and they have a budget, I met with (Basran) to try and see how and when we can try and find that money,” said Clark. “We’re getting to work on that now.”
Provincial rules dictate a municipality must apply for infrastructure grants on behalf of an irrigation district located in the municipality. And to be successful, Victoria expects irrigation districts to fold into the municipal system.
Kelowna is currently served by five separate water providers, the city, the South-East Kelowna Irrigation District, Rutland Water Works, the Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District and the Black Mountain Irrigation District.
The city has made it clear it wants to see a single, integrated water system for all Kelowna, but to this point, the four irrigation districts have balked at that idea. The city’s water utility currently serves about half the homes in Kelowna.
The impasse in negotiating a possible solution appeared to have been broken last year when Community Minister Peter Fassbender ordered the value planning study to replace the previous Kelowna Integrated Water Supply Plan, completed in 2012. All parties agreed to participate.
The new value planning study, which the city says outlines recommendations for the best, lowest-cost city-wide solution for delivering both domestic and agricultural water in Kelowna, will be publicly released Monday afternoon at the city council meeting.
Clark said the new plan will be the one the province moves forward with in terms of any possible provincial funding and she made it clear, the new plan will not be renegotiated.
“They’ve worked really hard on a plan,” said Clark. “I know its been difficult work. It’s not been without controversy. But they stuck with it. They’ve got a plan.”
Contacted Friday afternoon, Basran declined to comment on the details of value planning study until it is released Monday, and representatives of the irrigation districts couldn’t be reached for comment.
