Greater Vernon Water, obviously bowing to years-long pressure from residents, is finally increasing agricultural water rates--albeit by a measly amount that doesn't address the cost of treating irrigation water to the same standards as domestic.
Why? Because separating domestic from irrigation water wasn't GVW's priority.
Bureaucrats and consultants even went so far as to tell residents that grants would not be available for separating the two systems...a fact now proven incorrect with the awarding of grants to the Kelowna area, for just that purpose!
"Currently between $950,000 and $1,050,000 is collected for agricultural water use, but the actual cost is much more," says Kiss-FM's website on March 23rd, 2017.
No kidding.
So a 3.7% ag water rate increase is going to be phased in over three years.
Huh?
A measly one-point-something increase a year?
"...right now we are falling a little bit short of capturing that through agricultural rates," said Bob Fleming, chair of Regional District North Okanagan."
A bit short?
Jeezz...
Agriculture will still, after 3 years, contribute barely 4 per cent of GVW's annual budget.
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| Source: G.Kiss |
"Yeah, considering that agriculture uses 15 per cent more water annually than domestic," Kia would've said, "I'd agree they're a bit short."
A lot short.
Kelowna's grant March 19th blog post here.
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