Kelowna’s new integrated water supply plan is off to a successful financial start.
After the federal government announced Friday it will contribute $49.9 million to improve the South East Kelowna Irrigation System’s water distribution system, it was all smiles at Kelowna city hall Monday.
“It’ been a long road but that was a historic announcement for the community,” said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran following council’s regular weekly meeting.
The money will pay for a new distribution system to provide water from Okanagan Lake for exiting SEKID domestic customer. It will also continue to provide agricultural customers with water from Hydraulic Creek.
As part of the integrated water supply plan, SEKID will join the city’s water system. It will be the first major local irrigation system to do so, a move required as a condition of getting the money,which comes from Ottawa but is administered through the province.
The three other major local irrigation systems that provide water to Kelowna homes and businesses and agricultural producers—Glenmore-Ellison, Rutland and Black Mountain have not joined the new water supply planplan and will continue to be independent, separate suppliers in the city.
Basran has made no secret of the fact he feels there should be just one water provider for the entire city and the existing distribution systems should be integrated. The province’s public support for the new plan indicates it agrees.
On Friday, it was announced the new SEKID distribution system will allow the other irrigation systems to connect at a later date if they agree to come join the plan and also become part of the city’s system.
The new funding for SEKID will provide treated drinking water for South East Kelowna residents and w=hat ws described as a “plentiful” supply of agricultural irrigation water in the the South Mission.
The total cost for the the SEKID work—phase one of the water supply plan— is $61.3 million. There will be a combined local contribution of $17.4 million, representing 28 per cent of total project cost.
“Funding of this magnitude is something we rarely see—in fact, this is the largest single grant anyone at the city can remember receiving,” said Basran.
He added the piping to be installed will not be “throw away” costs, despite the plan’s call for all domestic water for Kelowna in future to come from Mission Creek primarily, with the Okanagan Lake as a back-up supply.
He said the piping will allow for water from either the lake or Mission Creek to flow throw, depending on the source required at the time.
In making the funding announcement, it was also revealed a transition plan—a requirement of the provincial government and the grant application—is now underway to map out the process for SEKID and the City of Kelowna to work together on phase 1 of the plan. Pending the timely completion of a successful transition agreement, treated drinking water is anticipated to be delivered to the majority of SEKID ratepayers by the end of 2019, or earlier if possible, with a target completion date to all SEKID customers by 2020. In addition to the significant direct cost savings to ratepayers, the project would also be completed 10 years faster than without government funding, said the city. Work to service the smaller South Okanagan Mission Irrigation District—also part of the plan—is also expected to be completed by 2019.
“The plan achieves more than just good water quality. It will also achieve rate equity, a more resilient and robust system and maintains the interest of our agricultural community,” said project manager Ron Westlake.
The grant announcement will allow for the initial phase of the long-term integration plan to be implemented and set the groundwork for future integration. Phase one includes the separation of agricultural and domestic systems in SEKID; in the short-term domestic water will be supplied through a new transmission line connecting to the City of Kelowna’s water distribution system from Okanagan Lake. Agricultural water will continue to be supplied from Hydraulic Creek with emergency connections to the domestic supply in the event of service disruption. Phase one will also see a sustainable agricultural water supply delivered to SOMID, along with upgrades to the City of Kelowna’s water utility to supply both SEKID and SOMID and accommodate future growth.
Work on phase one of the plan will also help dictate future phases. And they will, in part, will also be influenced by whether the other other irrigation districts join. On Monday, Basran said there are currently no negotiations ongoing to try and bring the other irrigation districts into the plan. But he said the city is open to talks.
“This plan will eventually ensure all our citizens have clean drinking water at equitable rates, while our domestic and agricultural needs are met with an integrated system that has the flexibility to draw water from a number of options to meet demand,” said Mayor Basran.