Uberprotecting Farms

Morris Alger says it the way it is.

Especially in his most recent letter to the editor of the Morning Star, published May 20, 2015:

"Water Access:

The Morning Star (Water flows for growing farm April 5th) reports that terms of an agreement between the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee and the Township of Spallumcheen were arbitrarily bypassed so treated water is now supplied to a private agricultural business.

Director Akbal Mund is quoted as saying, "We're here to help our businesses grow."

This is too much to impose on City of Vernon taxpayers coping with hugely exorbitant water rates.  The 80,000 apple trees should have been planted in a(sic) area where untreated water is available.

Was the orchardist advised in advance that water would be made available despite the existing agreement and a staff recommendation against providing additional water?

In the same newspaper, a letter to the editor expresses concern for local cattle producers facing hardship.  Should we be subsidizing those cattle producers too?

How long would the list be of local businesses wanting financial help?  I am not against helping small business, it's what is being used to do it, subsidized treated water for agricultural water at my expense.

Now a dangerous precedent has been set.

As you are aware, using treated water for other than domestic purposes is most controversial, but if this is a short-term solution for the orchardist, at the very least, he should be paying the same rates as I do for the same treated water.

The master water plan referendum against borrowing money to support it, and objections to high water rates, have been at the forefront of the news.

When GVAC arranges to provide a private agricultural business with treated water at a lower cost than what I am paying, it's a slap in the face.

Mund seems to have forgot that he also wears a mayor's hat.  Who's looking after my interests?

It seems to me that decisions about or water are being made without the utmost respect our most precious resource deserves, and with little or no regard for the people who pay it.  Is the City of Vernon taking any action so I am not subsidizing the cost of water for the orchard in the long-term?"

Morris Alger  

                     

"There comes a point when the subsidised entity is no longer an economic benefit to a community," offers Kia, "because of the sheer amount of money the subsidisers have paid to keep the entity solvent."

Whether it's BC Assessment's rock-bottom land values for farms, or dirt cheap water...

Point reached! 

 

Bill Luchak and Morris Alger Oppose GVW's Path

Two water issue Letters to the Editor in today's Morning Star, reprinted verbatim here.

"Water woes must be addressed", by Bill Luchak

"Since moving back to Vernon in 2005 (born and raised here in the '50s), we were quite disappointed with how behind we are with our water utility.

Both the potable water and the irrigation systems should have been separated years ago.  I blame in part the past mayors and councils for ignoring this vital asset, along with the powers in today's councils.  It seems each term in office has shrugged it off to the next council, and so it goes.

We cannot afford every upgrade at the cost of $70 million.  But we should look at what should be done first at a reasonable cost.

First and foremost, separate potable from irrigation.  Prior councils should be commended for their insight on using effluent irrigation, but be given a failing grade on the upgrade to a downtown sewage plant.  Shame on you.

After line separation, one can effectively install and afford sand and charcoal filters for potable water.  The water turbidity should be 0.1 to 0.5 parts per million micros, total dissolved solids instead of 1.0 as a limit.  Never mind the organic compound.  A reading of 1.0 is too high of a turbidity for the chlorine to sufficiently kill all the bacteria.  Hence, water alerts.

Build settling ponds with a weir system before the water reaches the utility plant.  The ponds would be large enough to give a 24-hour retention time to effectively treat the water.  Alum would then have sufficient time to drop out the suspended matter.

Perhaps the folks in Lumby, Lavington and Coldstream could draw on Duteau Creek water only.  Also, stop the contaminated run-off entering Kalamalka Lake.

Extend the Kal Lake water intake further out by 500 metres.

Large lines are installed similar to this in industry every day.  We are currently short circuiting our flows.

In order for the utility to become a viable operation, we seriously need to look at expanding our infrastructure, to encompass a good part of the North Okanagan.  This can only be done through local and provincial politicians.

This would mean incorporating outlying areas under the Vernon umbrella (yes, I mean amalgamation).  The higher the customer base/revenue, the more affordable this will become.

We are past the age of kingdoms and fiefdoms.

Some will fear losing their crowns.  A ward system would replace this and give all of the Regional District of North Okanagan folks an equal say.  A council member or two from each surrounding area, under one mayor, for a stronger voice in Victoria."

"Water Plan", by Morris Alger

"When I voted in the referendum against borrowing money, of course I was also voting against the master water plan.

Treated water should not be used for farm irrigation or golf course purposes.  Duteau Creek sounds like a lost cause.  I paid double in 2014 for the same amount of water I used in 2009.  There is something wrong with this picture.

I propose enlisting Kelowna's Interior Health Authority to oversee our water plan.

We don't hear water complaints from Kelowna, do we?"

"Bill and Morris for water board directors..." suggests Kia.