Water, water plans and cost increases but where is the beef?

A big “Thank you” to those responding to my report on the sewer issues. One lady wrote: “I’m all in favour of “pay as you go” sewer costs” hit the nail on the head. Why should we pay for crap that will come down years from now?

If you think we are skinned on the sewer costs, just imagine the “hosing” we are getting on the water rates. Our politicians approved a further rate increase to $.80 (about 5.5%) with an additional $110.52 per year access fee (up from $104.76). An average family of three could expect to pay almost $350.00 a year for household use only. Outdoor use will be extra.

My question (and should be everyone’s question) what is happening to this money? GVSC and especially GVW are in a big turmoil. Nobody knows what will happen with them. So why do we continue collecting money far beyond the cost of service? They could not deliver the goods why collect more and more money?

GVW will collect about $9 million this year. The cost of service is around $5 million. As of last year GVW borrowed $13 million of the referendum approved $35 million. Servicing that debt is just under $1 million a year. What happens to the difference? Do our politicians know the answer to that?

For six years now we have been soaked by Greater Vernon Water. Our water rates steadily rose from $0.35/m3 in 1999 to the present $0.80/m3 this year. We were told that our water was dangerous to our health and needed immediate improvement. No time to wait for senior government grants. Today most of us in Coldstream drink the same quality water we drank 20 years ago. We just pay more for it. There was only a minimal investment in Coldstream by GVW over the last eight years.

We were lied to over and over, promised improvements that never came and today we again have a boil water advisory for residents served by the Duteau Creek water supply. A lot of improvement for a 130% rate increase. Not! The sad part is that not even an explanation or apology come from these politicians. They carry on as if everything is on schedule and there is nothing wrong.

How did we get here? What were the promises, the plans, the cost projections and the time-lines given by the “fathers of the Master Water Plan”?

For an overview of selected news articles, letters and GVW publications please visit newsclippings.

Does anyone believe that after the Duteau Creek Treatment Plant is complete we will have no more boil water advisories? Just curious.

The Eagle.