Recovery, not Safe Injection Sites

Poignant anonymous letter published in the Morning Star today...from a Mother.

The letter almost broke my heart, and evidence the pain the woman feels, and has felt for years and years.

"I have never written a letter to the editor.  I have a story to tell that has been ongoing for a decade.  I was born and raised in this community.  I have never been compelled to tell my private story until this past month.

"I am being told by the government agencies

 to let him go to the streets and figure it out."

I have a son.  He is 30 this September.  He was born and raised in this community.  Completed Grade 12 in a resource room setting.  He is known by many.  We have had great support from the non-profit Venture Training, RCMP and Special Olympics.  He has an IQ of 52 (kindergarten to Grade 2), he has a new addiction (on and off two years) to crystal meth, and he has generational mental health issues.  I am being told by the government agencies to let him go to the streets and figure it out.

"One government agency helps you,

 and the next government agency

 sabotages all the steps forward

 you just made."

You would not believe what the homeless are provided with from the non-profits downtown.  Then there are the government agencies.  Social Services will give you a cheque on the spot, on a Friday afternoon.  Believing whatever story a particular client tells.  This particular client is connected to many other government agencies CLBC, social development and IHA (developmental disability mental health).  Why is there not one database that links all the clients' information?  One government agency helps you, and the next government agency sabotages all the steps forward you just made.

"Social Services will give you a cheque

 on the spot, on a Friday afternoon.

  Believing whatever story a particular client tells."

Why would you need to go home, even if you have a good one?  Would you let your Grade 2 son make that kind of decision by himself?  The government agencies think we should.

No to safe injection, they need recovery.

Please everyone, let your voice be heard at this critical time.  We need to change how we do things.

"Addiction has to be treated first.  Not a safe injection site."

I have a vested, emotional attachment to the subject of homeless vs addition.  Addiction has to be treated first.  Not a safe injection site. Are you kidding me?  This has become ridiculous.

If you want recovery there is nothing in B.C. that CLBC (Community Living) or Interior Health can come up with.  Smoke and mirrors.  Even if you are willing to pay.

"If you want recovery there is nothing in B.C.

 that CLBC or Interior Health can come up with."

CLBC, Interior Health and Social Services want you to throw your family member to the wolves and become another statistic of addiction and homelessness.  You are then off of that particular government agency's work plate and on to another.  You cannot maneuver the government agencies without your family involved.  Not with an IQ of 52.  It has been hard enough for me.  Non-profits are left to pick up the pieces way beyond their government contracts.

 "(they)...want you to throw your family member

to the wolves

 and become another statistic

 of addiction and homelessness."

I do not want to rant.
I have so many valid points and stories to be told, I hope I get the chance to share some of the ludicrous things that have happened.

Condoning the use of mind-altering substances is absolutely the wrong answer.

The Month of May I have had to be my own Detox Centre, psychosis is very scary.  My son is asking for hep.  There is nothing in our province for people with disabilities and addiction.  Most on the streets have both.

I will not give up.

My most grateful thank you to our non-profits, especially Venture Training, employment and home share, Special Olympic volunteers and without a doubt our RCMP.

If you see my son please give him encouragement to get his life back on the track.  Tell him he has a home and he best get there before it is too late.

Say no to safe injection sites.  They should not be injecting at all.  Help give them the chance at recovery in a clinically-staffed facility."

Name withheld by request.  (Morning Star editor's note:  the name has been withheld to protect the privacy of the individual and their family due to the sensitive nature of the content).

What incredible heartbreak this Mother must be going through.
And what a brave and strong and very important letter she wrote.

this picture was grabbed from internet images

Such sadness.
And despair.
And yet so many enablers...many of whom are in government! 

End addiction.  First.
Maybe it's time that Safe Injection Sites ended.
Because they are failing, and have failed in their responsibility.

Grant Appeal to Federal Liberals

...from the riding that voted to remain Conservative.

Oh well, GVAC's gonna try.

A month before the election in 2015, the North Okanagan's election signs were everywhere. 
Then Justin ("T2") Trudeau's Liberals swept in virtually everywhere else but in the Okanagan.

Maybe it'll work in our favour, i.e. the federal Liberals wouldn't be so obvious as to not award infrastructure funds to a community that voted against them during the election?

Or would they?

It's said that payback is a tough pill to swallow. 
We'll see.

The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee will apply for $7 million dollars from Infrastructure Canada.  In the scheme of the Liberal's giant economic stimulus, seven million bucks is a pittance.

The money would be used to construct Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant's UV treatment system, and help stave off Interior Health's demand ("we can Order you") to filter the water.

What if the Feds say "no?"

In many ways, it really doesn't matter...North Okanagan residents will pay for it either way.

Whether we--and our children and grandchildren--pay down a ballooning deficit, pay we will.


We as taxpayers will pay for "economic stimulus"--more accurately called deficits, the Liberals spending money they don't have--or we'll pay for it through increased water base/consumption rates (by the utility borrowing money, or using the reserves they have already accumulated).  But maybe with a federal grant in place, the continued gouging of water users won't be so severe all at once (again).

If you have a particularly strong stomach, have a look at Canada's debt clock.

Kia would've said "The only difference really is that infrastructure money might arrive in GVW's pocket sooner than if they had to accumulate it from water users."

Money is scarce for everyone.
But government at all levels will continue to gouge us.
They've grown accustomed to it.

$7 million...maybe GVW should buy lottery tickets too.

Post--SAC Dec.3 Thoughts

It's apparent that Greater Vernon Water is putting lipstick on a pig.

You can only do so much to Duteau creek water which enters the Duteau water treatment plant before you find yourself admitting you're throwing good money after bad.

The upland surface water from the Aberdeen Plateau simply isn't suitable for the high quality potable water that Interior Health demands for public consumption.
It requires too much treatment, plain and simple.
And that treatment creates its own problems...by-products.
Dangerous by-products.

What is particularly odd is that Interior Health--the public agency demanding that GVW protects the public from microbiological diseases--doesn't appear to be even remotely concerned about the long-term health effects from byproducts of water treatment.

But what is really upsetting is that the TM7 Summary--produced by RDNO from the long form of consultants' memoranda--omits some of the most critical details of the treatment plant process.

How convenient that omission is for bureaucrats and some long-serving elected officials, all of whom are determined to not mothball the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant.

Is it any wonder people are suspicious of the intent of bureaucrats?

Don't believe it?
See for yourself.

The 46-page TM7 on Treatment (of both Mission Hill and Duteau Creek water treatment plants is linked.
Pay particular attention to the HAA5s comment, "HAA5s ...regularly exceeding Canadian guidelines by 60 per cent" scroll to page 22 at this link.  

See if you can find that comment in the 6-page TM7 Summary here.
It's not there.

Back to Interior Health wanting filtration.

• Is it because E.coli can kill you more quickly than the carcinogenic Trihalomethanes?  THMs are also found in Duteau source water (pre-treatment) as chloroforms.

• Is it because enteric viruses and protozoa create more pain than the carcinogenic Haloacetic acids (used in the dermatology industry as skin peels).  HAA5s in GVW's water distribution system exceeded Canadian guidelines by 60 per cent.

• Is it because total coliform counts are more dangerous than total organic carbon?

• Is it because aluminum content in tapwater isn't yet scientifically proven to contribute to Alzheimer's?

Trihalomethanes were the only treatment by-product that GVW tracked, and THMS consistently exceed Canadian guidelines.
Giardia and Cryptosporidium are chlorine tolerant protozoa that "are present" in the Duteau system.
Health Canada's microbiological parameters are here.

As SAC committee members prepare to review TM9 at their December 17th meeting--albeit likely looking only at the Summary--do they know the answer to this question:

"Do TM Summaries include the most important stuff found in the Technical Memoranda?"

The answer is "probably not", as the example above proved.

During the December 3rd SAC meeting, presented by Brett deWynter of AECOM Jennifer Miles of RDNO their comments included:

Brett:  "You are blessed with a lot of water in this area", referring to Duteau, Kal, OK Lakes.  $80.9 million is required to complete ag separation, but that doesn't include most agricultural areas in BX and north Vernon.  Some smaller areas would never be separated because “there’s little bang for the buck”.  (Blog note:  This is where the GVAC unanimously Adopted Motion, presented by Garlick, “need of supply type” should become available for irrigators who will never receive raw water again; they would then receive the ag irrigation water rate...an equitable solution). 

Kalamalka Lake and Duteau Creek combine for 50 year demands, adding that transfers were feasible.

Goal is to reduce consumption from 271 to 250/day. 

Re unaccounted for water.  Brett first stated 10-15% of water is unaccounted for, after which a SAC member stated it was a lot higher than that.  Brett agreed, saying 10-15% of water leaks is considered normal, but that we were higher.  Zee Marcolin said we’re at 20-30%. Brett felt it’s probably more of a data management issue.  The Master Water Plan lists accurate data and proper reporting as a key strategy.

But 8,000 Ml missing/unaccounted for?  Eight thousand megalitres missing?  That's more than Vernon's domestic consumption!   

Jennifer added that mechanical meters 20 yrs of age slow down or stop completely.  Data is missing from Jan-June 2014.  Fire fighting, water main flushing, sampling stations (“some run all night, some all year!!!!!”).  Have been replacing 200 meters a year but they want to increase that to 1,000 annually.

Jennifer advised that VID “allowed some bypasses in old areas."

“reclaimed water is your most expensive water...the most expensive way to irrigate land”

  

Listed conservation initiatives and showed consumption decrease as Stage 1 water restriction implemented.  Graphs from other years/stages. Talks at schools, OBWB, irrigation/ag recording per crop software.

Brett’s stunning statement:  “reclaimed water is your most expensive water...it’s the most expensive way to irrigate land”.  He asked “Who is going to pay to get the pipe to Coldstream Ranch lands for corn irrigation?”  Cranbrook and Vernon have reclaimed water plants, with Vernon the largest.  Reference was made re gravity feed from DCWTP at 650m elevation.

Stated asset value (replacement costs) for entire system is $619.6 million.

Total ag replacement costs for entire separated system (pipes) is $137.2 million.

The entire distribution system infrastructure (domestic and ag) replacement cost is $619.6 million.

Brett: cost/Ml is lower for Lavington/Coldstream separation; almost 4x higher for Vernon / BX /North.

 “when ag conserves, there’s no hit to our revenue”

Jennifer:  indicated a 10 year goal for reducing water consumption.

50% rates infrastructure, 50% consumption (“it used to be 70% consumption”).

Zee Marcolin said “when ag conserves, there’s no hit to our revenue”. 

80% of costs are fixed, e.g. electricity, chemicals, wages.  Zee:  “Biggest costs are maintenance and employees”.  Brett added that only salt comes from Canada (Saskatchewan); all other chemicals are affected by the low Canadian dollar.

“You definitely have chlorination byproduct issues”

Re DCWTP, Brett:  “You definitely have chlorination byproduct issues”.  Kal Lake was discussed re turbidity and intake being right across from where Coldstream Creek enters the lake.  Marl was discussed, and roto-tilling (OBWB plan/timing vs. Wood Lake discussed because it freezes earlier so harvesting has to be done before Kal...Kal timing Dec / Jan).  Okanagan Lake has no marl...inorganic.  Kal Lake filtration plant (consistently see Kal Lake turb over 1NTU) $20million and “you’d never have an issue again”.  Heather Larratt’s study link will be added to RDNO website as it’s an extensive study that shows lowering the water intake to 30m (from the current 20m) is worse during seiches.

A question was asked re treatment and numbers to report to Interior Health.

“Can numbers AFTER DAF be reported?”  Brett indicated they were discussing that with IHA (instead of the pre-Dissolved Air Flotation numbers that are currently reported to Interior Health. 

THMs and HAAs briefly discussed, aluminum levels are elevated.

Kal area watershed.  More uses at Duteau watershed...lots of forestry, cattle, recreation, some cities’ reservoirs are fenced.  Ours aren’t.

Q:  can agriculture bypass DCWTP?  Yes there is a bypass pipe already...For ag separated areas (Springfield / Learmouth Road)...Von Keyserlingk station apparently serves the newly-separated area.

MH 56 Ml/day $30 million?  Space is reserved for a filtration plant at MHWTP.

DC 24 Ml/day...total domestic is 80 Ml/day

Expansion cost range $20-45 million, facility greater than 200 Ml/day $60 million...but it won’t fit on the site.

Request for current operating costs for both plants.  Graphs, energy, equipment, chemicals, wages.  Marcolin/McTaggart:  NO pipe costs are included in any of those costs.

Brent began with “If you decide to keep using DWTP for domestic water...”  The word “if” was welcome.  He added: ..."filtration needs to be eventually done at DCWTP."

MHWTP and DCWTP graphs both stated “estimated” operation cost.
Don’t they have solid numbers YET?

SAC Chair Jim Garlick concluded the meeting by suggesting SAC members tour DCWTP.


"Directions to DCWTP aren't necessary...it's the pig on the hill, with the lipstick," says Kia.

Resource:  TM 9 full report is here.  TM 9 Summary is here.  If you have some time, maybe compare the data in both.
    
Resource:  TM9, after six revisions, is found:   TM9 System Separation Option Analysis .
Added for review, by request, is Mike Stamhuis' 5-page letter to GVW's McTaggart, found at this link.

Dangerous Duteau

Don't filter Duteau Creek water.
Shut Duteau down.
Keep it only for its original use--irrigation of farms and acreages.

This article is (naturally) in lay language, the limit of my comprehension.
And to be blunt, that's probably the limit of many everyday acquaintances too.
Few of us are academics.
But there are things we should look at more deeply.

Let's start with a perception exercise.
Consider the following two potential water sources for your family's drinking water.
Decide which of the two will supply water to you and your extended family.

(Technical people involved in the area's water system will scoff at my "oversimplification", but we residents--laypeople--were recently asked, via a referendum, to make decisions that affect us.  To many people, my oversimplified summary may still contain "complexities" about which they were personally unaware.  Such is life.)  
    
Back to the perception exercise.
Picture two lakes: 
Lake #1 is at the top of a watershed, a plateau with a few cabins (presumably with bio-toilets or septic fields), year-round public recreation (hunting, fishing, hiking), plentiful wildlife, the only industrial use is current and historical logging with clearcuts, open areas adjacent to now-riparian-protected lakefront with water system intakes.  Agricultural use includes grazing cattle on open range.  That's the Duteau Creek water system of four interconnected lakes which act as water reservoirs for snowmelt and rainfall.

Lake #2 is in the valley bottom, surrounded mostly by housing (the majority of which are connected to sanitary sewers), paved travel corridors with associated commercial construction, farming, former ranchlands, some parkland and historical cabins whose construction predated riparian rules (which have presumably now equipped themselves with bio-toilets or pumped septic catchments), a myriad of chiefly seasonal public uses (boating, fishing, beaches, camping).  That's the deep Kalamalka/Wood Lake water system, whose water inputs are predominantly from surface and groundwater springs.  Okanagan Lake is also such a lake.

Which would you choose for your family's drinking water?

Gut reaction would likely point to the upland source, Lake #1.
Having resided here for nearly 40 years, that was my feeling too.

Was!

Would your answer change if you discover that Lake #1, the upland system of four lakes, today contains carcinogens (cancer-producing substances) in it that were not present before the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant was built?

That's right, those cancer-producing substances were not present before the water treatment plant was built.

Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant trihalomethane levels

have exceeded maximum recommended levels every year since 1998:

  1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011!!!!

Compare that to Kalamalka Lake water distribution through the Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant which has

NEVER exceeded 50 per cent of allowable levels !! 

Source:  Councillor Kiss' Powerpoint presentation, page 24 of 51

I recall in the early 1970s how beige the pre-treatment plant water from Duteau Creek was.  We sent to the dry cleaner my husband's white dress shirts.  I used to daily spend an hour, walking through our 1,100 tree apple orchard with a straight pin--yes a straight pin--in hand, to tediously unplug our 8-inch microjet irrigation's risers...a "glop" of something slimy and brown was always the culprit.  Then water again sprayed in its customary 180-degree pattern (two at each tree, totalling 2,200 emitters) from the now-unplugged emitters.  Rubbing the culprit between thumb and forefinger produced a soft wood/bark thingy that resembled a sliver.

That thingy was organic material, the cause of today's health problems that originate at Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant.
Yes, it's the cause.
Because organic material led to treatment which led to the production of carcinogens.


Technical reports indicate that the four-lake system at Duteau contains a lot of organic material, especially when compared to the much lower amount of organic material contained in valley-bottom lakes (Kalamalka/Wood and Okanagan).

The more organic material there is, the more chlorination is required to treat the water.


So Duteau-sourced water needs a lot of disinfectant compared to lowland lakes.
But it's the by-product of disinfection that produces carcinogens.

Today, Duteau-sourced water contains Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids, none of which were present previously.  

"Trihalomethanes are formed as a by-product predominantly when chlorine is used to disinfect water for drinking. They represent one group of chemicals generally referred to as disinfection by-products. They result from the reaction of chlorine or bromine with organic matter present in the water being treated. The THMs produced have been associated through epidemiological studies with some adverse health effects. Many governments set limits on the amount permissible in drinking water. However, trihalomethanes are only one group of many hundreds of possible disinfection by-products—the vast majority of which are not monitored—and it has not yet been clearly demonstrated which of these are the most plausible candidate for causation of these health effects." (Wikipedia link here).

"Haloacetic Acids are a common undesirable by-product of drinking water chlorination. Exposure to such disinfection by-products in drinking water has been associated with a number of health outcomes by epidemiological studies."  (Wikipedia link here).

A recent personal story will conclude this story.

But first an observation that occurred to me.

Did you ever--in a hurry--wash your hair under either the bathtub faucet or the bathroom sink?
And get a horribly strong sniff of chlorine, especially during winter months?
I have.  Lots of times.


That was a puzzle until "a little birdie" told me that residents--chiefly in East Coldstream, nearer the water treatment plant than other Vernon, Coldstream or BX residents on the same water system--were exposed to more chlorine.
Why?
Apparently because water sample readings at the waterlines' terminus had to contain "x" residual chlorine.  So more chlorine was added, exposing those nearer the water source to more chlorine, just to get the test samples to meet acceptable levels at distant testing outlets.

Approximately one-quarter of Greater Vernon Water's residents receive water from Duteau Creek, and I'm guessing that half of that one-quarter live in East Coldstream, exposed to higher-than-necessary levels of chlorine disinfection. 

OK, now for the personal story.

My husband of 44 years is hale and hearty, always has been.
Likely a result of good genes more than determination on his part, he does maintain a fully active work schedule, and has chosen not to retire from his business.
He never gets a cold or the flu, and his medium-sized frame compliments his height; no wheat-belly on him.  He does get aches and pains in his back from lifting (there's always something heavy to lift on acreage or in a business), but he's soon over that with copious self-medication of vitamins.  I don't recall that his shadow ever darkened a hospital doorway except when our daughter was born, and I would have fingers left over if I counted on one hand how many times he has gone to the doctor in all those years.

So imagine my surprise when after Christmas last month my husband complained of a "brutal headache".
I've never before heard my husband say he had a headache (he says he's never had one).

Day after day, the headache was in the same location, same side of his head.
Its pain "ebbed and flowed", but never really went away.
Then his eye on the headache side became bloodshot.
Day after day, the bloodshot eye and the pain.
Refusing to go to the doctor, he took aspirin for the pain.
He also didn't miss a day of work (likely because he owns the business...)

After approximately two weeks, he finally did attend his doctor.
Hallelujah.
The result?
Apparently a "sinus problem".

But I know it was my husband's fault.
Yes, my husband is responsible, along with Duteau Creek.
You see, he's one of those people who takes long hot showers, saying that his back muscles benefit.

So why the reference to Duteau Creek if we're talking about the husband's long showers?

Read further from Wiki:  "Some of the trihalomethanes are quite volatile and may easily vaporize into the air. This makes it possible to inhale THMs while showering, for example. The EPA, however, has determined that this exposure is minimal compared to that from consumption."  I'm thinking back to the strong chlorine smell, especially during winter (and the "residual test results" mentioned earlier), and the fact that my husband takes 15-minute (yes, alas!) showers.

My showers are four to five minutes.  Tops.
In winter, my husband's north-facing bathroom is cold, so he doesn't activate the ventilation fan.
Nor does he open the window.
Inhaling THMs...guessing that is what caused his persistent headache.
But only in this winter; during the other three seasons the bathroom window is always open.
To be fair, neither of us recall him ever having sinus issues during other years' winter months.

Don't be smug if you have short showers, you can still inhale the volatile THMs.

And swimmers in public or private chlorinated pools?  Wiki on this:  "In swimmers, uptake of trihalomethanes is greatest via the skin with dermal absorption accounting for 80% of THM uptake. Exercising in a chlorinated pool increases the toxicity of a "safe" chlorinated pool atmosphere with toxic effects of chlorine byproducts greater in young swimmers than older swimmers. Studies in adolescents have shown an inverse relationship between serum testosterone levels and the amount of time spent in public pools. Chlorination by-products have been linked as a probable cause."

Back to trihalomethane levels at Greater Vernon's water sources.

Councillor Kiss' excellent Powerpoint presentation, on page 24 of 51, compares the Trihalomethane levels of Duteau Creek and Kalamalka Lake water.  (Note:  Enlarge the page for clarity with Ctrl + (Ctrl plus sign) three or four times, afterwards reduce page size on your screen with Ctrl -  (Ctrl minus sign) three or four times).  His entire document is noteworthy, so please read it in its entirety.

Note that on page 24 the green horizontal line is the "maximum recommended acceptable level" set by government.

Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant trihalomethane levels have exceeded maximum recommended levels in every year since 1998.  That is, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 !!!!  During the same years, Kalamalka lake water distribution through the Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant saw trihalomethane levels that have NEVER exceeded 50 per cent of allowable levels !!

"Tear down Duteau, move all the equipment to Mission Hill and enlarge that treatment plant," shouts Kia.

The Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant created more problems than it solved.

And now water officials are going to do a Protozoa study at Duteau.
The news isn't going to get any better, is it folks?

"We must not throw good money after bad," warns Kia of Greater Vernon Water's plans to accede to Interior Health's demands to filter Duteau Creek Water.

I'll spend the next month or so convincing my husband to take short showers, and open the window.
The other benefit is to save a few sheckles on the water meter!



Additional Reference:  Water Source Evaluation, commissioned by RDNO, document here.

EDIT:  Adding Councillor Kiss' most stunning revelation: 

"I maintain that the system for agriculture should return to agriculture and all allocations should be honoured. Domestic supply should be coming from Kalamalka and Okanagan Lakes. It is that simple. Had we started out from those principles we would have an unaltered VID system working without any money spent on it and we would be using Okanagan Lake without filtration like Kelowna is doing. Kelowna built the UV treatment plans in 2006-2007 for about $7 M and have no trouble at all. You can find their turbidity reading for today here. They provide it every day. Obviously, there is no need for filtration at those turbidity readings."

 Councillor Kiss certainly deserves residents' thanks...big time!

Patronizing, Pompous and Condescending MLA

He has some nerve to state that funds may not be available.
As though Eric Foster's bosses in Victoria haven't pissed away enough!

We residents are presumably to show some semblance of restraint and not expect our failed water referendum's projects to be funded by Victoria?

How about failed water referenda in both Kamloops and Revelstoke?
They subsequently each received a water treatment plant, compliments of Victoria, thank you very much when residents said "no".

You think we've forgotten all the folks lined up at the public trough?  Huge salaries for even deputy ministers and government executives, and BC Hydro, ICBC and their administrations, to name but a few.  Top executives at BC Investment Management Corp got a 310 per cent wage increase, the B.C. Ferries CEO makes more than top three Washington State ferries executives...on and on it goes.

The Morning Star reported MLA Foster as saying: "A vote 'yes' or 'no' doesn't make a difference about getting the government involved...that's not what would drive it.  Funding is allocated on the merit of an application and if there is funding available."

Drive it?
How dare you even mention the word "merit".
Didn't Interior Health convince their government brothers that "the safety of residents' drinking water" is considered meritous?

Your attitude, Eric Foster, is patronizing, pompous and condescending.
And we don't like it.
Remember that some of us still recall a different Eric Foster 30 years ago...one who knew how to spell the word humility, the first bag you shed when you became MLA.

Instead of your frequent polishing of the door handles at the regional district, try spending an equal amount of time talking to residents--in coffee shops, in malls, at gas stations.  You will quickly learn what you need to learn.
Certainly more than you're learning from bureaucrats with the focus on collaborative efforts.
It's just more bureaucratic schmaltz.
Because you're listening to the wrong people, Eric Foster.

We North Okanagan residents will not be bullied by you or anyone else.   

Fiscal mismanagement in Victoria now fills volumes of media reports--indeed tomes--most notably since Christy Clark's rise to the helm of the B.C. Liberal party. 

What's most upsetting about having typed that last sentence is that I'm a B.C. Liberal.
Okay, former Socred.
Yup.
Since 2011 and 2012, though, I'm more inclined to hold my nose when considering the Liberals' management of this formerly fine province.

Step back from your preconceived notions, Eric Foster, learned from bureaucrats within the confines of the regional district boardroom.
That's far too safe because you end up hearing only what you want to hear.

Go talk to people...taxpayers and you'll get an eye-opener.
The problem started with one premise:  Former GVW Manager Al Cotsworth's admission on why Duteau Water Treatment Plant needed to be built:  "We need to be able to change sources (from Duteau to Kal Lake, and vice versa) during emergencies such as water main breaks or serious contamination".

Throw out that premise.
Start again.

Consider, yes consider, what Gyula Kiss has been saying all along, quoted in the newspaper today:  "...a solution where the Duteau source would provide untreated raw water to the agricultural community and create a supply of treated water to the 20 per cent of domestic customers currently supplied by the irrigation line."

Because 80 per cent of Duteau's chlorinated water is used for irrigation!

Coldstream Councillor Kiss is hoping his "scientific solution--without the crazy political interference"--will be the cream that rises to the top of the slurry.
And it should but it hasn't yet.
But this Master Water Plan will NOT be accepted by residents.

So the powers-that-be had better reconsider Kiss' idea.

We residents are all thinking the same thing:  Could not someone--anyone--have recommended that that 20 per cent of Duteau's customers, who need domestic water, have received a one-time government donation/grant of state of the art water treatment for their home.  Not unlike the government program that donated farmers water meters two years ago...when the rest of us had to pay for meters.

All others, latecomers (new owners from real estate sales, home renovators, etc.) to the chiefly Lavington/East Coldstream area, would be advised that the grant period had ended and that they were solely responsible for domestic water quality.

That would've been a hell of a lot cheaper than what GVW is proposing with the $70 million water plan.
Probably $50 million cheaper...

What'll it take to have common sense prevail? 
First, Eric Foster should get out and talk to the people who pay the bills, who pay his wages (and fund his pension).

"It may take more than civil disobedience and not paying Q1 water bills," offers Kia "to show our contempt for the way we residents are bullied by bureaucrats and politicians."

Yes it might.
But firstly remember that Interior Health works for us, the taxpayers.
Not the other way around.
Same with politicians, of all stripes...and pomposity.

 

BC Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan made more than the top three Washington State Ferries executives combined." - See more at: http://northerninsights.blogspot.ca/2014/09/managers-justify-generous-treatment-of.html#sthash.93jrFwDq.dpuf

BC Ferries CEO Mike Corrigan made more than the top three Washington State Ferries executives combined." - See more at: http://northerninsights.blogspot.ca/2014/09/managers-justify-generous-treatment-of.html#sthash.93jrFwDq.dpuf

Forewarned, Bureaucrats Don't Care

There's an adage that "forewarned is forearmed", meaning if you know of something before it happens, you can be prepared for it.
True enough.
And presumably make changes if undesired results might occur.


But GVW bureaucrats and engineers, and their engineering consultants either didn't believe it would happen...or they don't care.
Probably not in their job descriptions to care.

"We were completely blindsided when we received our first Vernon utility bill in the mail."

M.C.R. Krien

Ignoring cause and effect, bureaucrats are ALL about revenue.
The unparalleled gouging of residents by Greater Vernon Water officials surely wouldn't lead to residents abandoning Vernon.
Or would it?

A letter to the editor by M.C.R. Krien today explains what GVW officials didn't plan on--and certainly didn't want publicized if it did occur.

"...if the water usage isn't high enough they tack on an extra $72.30 per quarter for low consumption."

"When my wife and I first considered moving to Vernon, we thought we did our homework on property taxes and fees.  We moved here from another Okanagan location, had a more expensive home but our property taxes, including water, sewer, garbage, recycling (all these utility fees were included in our annual property tax bill), were still less than Vernon, nonetheless we decided we could live with the increase.

We were completely blindsided when we received our first Vernon utility bill in the mail.  These obscene utility rates have got to be Vernon's best kept secret.  Not a word mentioned by real estate agents or anyone else when we were enquiring about property tax rates and fees.  But since then, things have gone from bad to worse.

We received this quarter's water and sewer bill for a whopping $440.  We live on small lot in a gated community where all of the irrigation systems come on for the same amount of time each week.  We have dual-flush, water-saver toilets.  There are only two of us and we are away a great deal of the time.

We don't just let water run down the drain when we are washing fruit and vegetables, but instead run it into a bucket in the sink and then either use the wter to water shrubs and bushes or flush the toilet.  We only take short showers, don't have a hot tub and, as well, shut our irrigation off on rainy days and have a water-saver washing machine.

Furthermore we take our vehicles to the car wash instead of washing them at home.

I compared our utility bill with our neighbours to find that our bill was $200 higher and they often have their grandchildren staying with them.  And they thought their bill was high.  We did notice that our bill contained an extra charge for $72.30 for residential sewer low flat rate, which did not show on any of our neighbours' bills.

We went to city hall to enquire why our rates would be so high and for an explanation for the extra $72.30 charge.  It was explained to us that when they determine the sewer rates in the first quarter, if the water usage isn't high enough they tack on an extra $72.30 per quarter for low consumption.

Yes, that is for low consumption.

So while our neighbours are only paying $50.20 per quarter for base sewer rates, we are paying the $50.20 base rate plus an additional $72.30 for low consumption.  In addition, our bill comparison shows that somehow my wife and I managed to use 65 cubic metres more water than our neighbours.

City hall gave us some tablets for our toilets to test for leaks -- there are no leaks.  They suggested we not run any water and check our water meter to see if the little red tab is still rotating.  It isn't.

Now they are asking Vernon area residents to aprove a $70 million water upgrade, which by the way is only the beginning.

We will be saying so long Vernon.  We are not about to stay living here just to be gouged.  And really, who in their right mind would move to Vernon with the rates already so high and only to get worse?

I suppose the uniformed(sic) like us.  We now know of several younger retirees with higher than average incomes and high percentages of disposal incomes, which should be an asset to any community, who have already left or are planning to leave.  I expect we will be joining the exodus."

M.C.R. Krien

"Call for resignations at GVW," suggest Kia, "start anew, bring in Al Horning from the Black Mountain Water District as an advisor."

And not with another $650,000 study.
And tell Interior Health to be quiet unless they bring money to the table...lots of money, from both Victoria and Ottawa.

Sorry to lose you, Mr. and Mrs. Krien.
But a sincere thanks for taking the time to write the letter.

A good start would be to read this "Water Plan History Detailed, dated February 7, 2014" from Coldstream Councillor Kiss.