Written by Peter McIntyre Wednesday, 26 May 2010 09:28
A Vernon councillor says no decision has been made on whether water restrictions will be the same for both the Kalamalka Lake and Duteau Creek sources.
Councillor Jack GilroyJack Gilroy is upset Coldstream councillor Gyula Kiss is suggesting in a newspaper article the regional board has already decided that they will.
"Financially it's a huge impact on the citizens of Vernon. I know it impacts the farmers and Coldstream people but the citizens of Vernon pay 75% of that water cost so maybe we should start taking care of them. I can see why councillors at the city get a little upset with the way water is being run at NORD."
Gilroy says water rates went up 9% this year and he says any funding shortfall from water use this year will have to be made up by taxpayers.
"I don't want to tell my taxpayers that we have to put them up another ten percent next year to make up $1.5 million" (projected shortfall under stage 3 restrictions).
Gilroy says a study showed the impact on businesses would be $10 million if stage rules were in effect for the whole summer which he says would also include Okanagan Spring Brewery.
Both Gilroy and Mayor Wayne Lippert would like to see separate restrictions, which Lippert says will likely be one of the issues discussed by a drought response team when it's formed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We don't need to debate when we have the facts. The Draft Bylaw No. 2248 of which the first two pages are presented below was unanimously approved by the NORD Board on May 19 at the regular Board meeting. Director Gilroy and Director Lippert were among the Board members approving the document. There were changes to the Draft but the first two pages were not modified.
Note Page 2: Application: "This Bylaw applies to the Greater Vernon Water Service Area". Case closed (for now)!
******************************************************************
2 comments:
Any chance we will get to see a current graph of snowpack/reservoir levels, now that we've endured all this rain? I'm hearing rumours that it's pretty much back to normal...
Any chance Councillor Gilroy will inquire as to why the City of Vernon treats our domestic wastewater to drinking water quality, only to spray it on the land of golf courses, resorts and marginal farmers, instead of returning it to a reservoir so we could use it again as drinking water?
If Councillor Gilroy is truly so committed to saving his taxpayers money, he would be wise to take this opportunity to show some leadership!
There will be a graph in the Sunday paper, and it shows a big spike in inflows to the reservoirs. Stage two now!
Post a Comment