Foregone Conclusion

It wasn't unexpected.
But members of Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan and area water customers are pleased that the results have come with a twist.

The last SAC meeting concluded this week with committee recommendations to GVAC, which will likely be adopted and forwarded to the RDNO Board, that include a few things that would not have occurred had CCMWP not responded to 1,000 signatories who opposed water rates under GVW, not to mention the majority of residents who denied a $70 million borrowing referendum in November of 2014.

The items SAC recommended -- that vary from bureaucrats' and consultants' original plan -- are:

• the east Coldstream partial separation of agricultural from domestic water will eventually lead to additional separation.
• filtration is recommended to proceed at Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant first, and then at Duteau Creek (following the hoped-for deferral or exclusion at Duteau).
• a role for the public may continue as the master water plan unfolds.

Naturally, bureaucrats and GVAC sitting politicians will put pressure on Interior Health because they all want filtration to proceed first at Duteau.  That is expected (by many people) to occur behind closed doors, as have many of the decisions and manipulations and biases since the referendum failed.  Including discussions on how to remove Gyula Kiss, the 2012 MWP's nemesis, from having his opposition published, meeting after meeting.

Even Interior Health should know how irate the public is.
Ignore the public wish at your peril.
Considerable quality improvements can be made to the upland water source simply by getting off their butts and supporting government agencies who can stop mud-boggers, illegal campers without bio-toilets, etc. etc. from contaminating our water source.

So will there be another referendum?
Sitting politicians don't want a two-peat (repeat) failure; neither does GVW.  Apparently, "funds could also come from reserves and existing revenue", as reported in the article reprinted below.

Word has it that there's $19 million in reserves...plus the ever-increasing rates.
GVW would do well to start using the reserves, as existing customers are already tired of paying for the area's future customers. 

Here's the Morning Star story today:

"Master water plan moves ahead", by Rolke:

Greater Vernon's master water plan has overcome a major hurdle.

On Wednesday, members of a stakeholders advisory committee unanimously agreed to recommended(sic) a direction on the master water plan to the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee.

'It's the most viable option,' said Monique Hubbs-Michiel, a SAC member. 
The group has recommended that Duteau Creek and Kalamalka Lake be maintained as drinking water sources and that two treatment plants remain.  It also wants partial separation of agricultural land from treated water primarily in eastern Coldstream.

GVAC is also being urged to proceed with filtration at the Mission Hill treatment plant before the Duteau Creek facility.

Terry Mooney, a SAC member, levelled criticism at the process Wednesday but ultimately he raised his hand in favour of the final recommendation.

'There's no point in opposing it because the majority of the committee decided otherwise,' said Mooney, who represented Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan.

'I didn't achieve 100 per cent of the objectives my group wanted, but it's headed in the right direction."
Mooney is pleased there will be a role for the public as the master water plan unfolds.

The Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan had pushed for a peer (blog:  professional consultant) review of the water plan, but that request was denied by the SAC.

'I've looked through all of the numbers and I don't see anyone magically coming up with another conclusion," said Don Gibbs, SAC member.

The full scope of the master water plan is about $108 million over 50 years but the cost could depend on factors such as government grants and filtration being deferred or not occurring at Duteau. While a referendum is possible, funds could also come from reserves and existing revenue.

The SAC recommendation will now go to GVAC for consideration and finally to the Regional District of North Okanagan board.

Jim Garlick, SAC chairperson, is confident that the process will continue.  "We need to make some decisions and move on.  It will never be perfect but it will be an improvement," he said.

     Morning Star newspaper, May 20, 2016

"Wonder if Garlick remembers the Adopted Motion(s) from a GVAC meeting last year," says Kia.

Good point.

In case Garlick et al have forgotten...here they are again:

Adopted Motions:

1.  Councillor Lord asked that a Communications Strategy for dealing with the Review be adopted such that the public could be informed on each question. Adopted

2.  Coldstream Mayor Garlick said the defeat of the Referendum bought valuable time for a review to be undertaken.  And that Standards for water quality, pricing and delivery have changed and are in the process of change, that the review incorporate these changes in its process.  Adopted

3.  Councillor Kiss requested the review focus on a MWP that addresses the future needs of the water user base, and that as Okanagan Lake is the most reliable water source where the least amount of treatment is needed, that the review include the viability of the OK Lake as the principal water source. Adopted

4.  Filtration exclusion and deferral issues were discussed and GVW management explained the current situation with respect to IHA and that it should be included in the review. Adopted

5.  Bob Spiers asked if a review could include the cost of treating the entire volume of Duteau water as compared with other treatment options. Adopted

6.  Mayor Garlick asked that public involvement in the review follow the model set and adopted by the Municipalities at the provincial level whereby a public committee was struck to provide feedback into decision-making relative to MWP allowing politicians and staff to have maximum input to direction.   Adopted

7.  Director Fleming asked if  "current demand levels" projected to 2020 and on, be considered in the review. Adopted

 

8. A question respecting the differing levels of supply by Quarter be included in the review.  Adopted

9. Redundancy of sources and the management of supply should be reviewed as Duteau, Kal, Coldstream Creek, King Edward Lake, and Okanagan Lake all are in the picture. Adopted

10.  Whether one treatment plant could supply all needs from all sources. Adopted

11.  Mayor Garlick proposed that the principle of  "need of supply type" be adopted to guide supply management.  In other words, if a user needs potable water, user pays for potable water.  Adopted.

12.  Question to minimize the use of treated water on agricultural lands.  Adopted

13.  Councillor Cunningham advised everyone to take a "step back" and work with the public on developing a new MWP that serves the needs of the entire community.  Adopted

14.  Mayor Garlick proposed that staff investigate hiring a communications specialist. Develop a communications strategy to facilitate the flow of information to and from public and press throughout MWP review process. The intent is to draw people in to the process.  Adopted

 

 

Kia has another comment:

"Had SAC's 'seat warmers'--and the odd 'mole' not been on the committee, citizens would've seen considerably more changes..."

You've got that correct.


Garlick should re-read #11, "need of supply type".
Highlands Golf needs non-potable water to irrigate the course, but it's not available.
So non-potable rates should apply to the irrigation water meter consumption.