New water rates approved

Photo: Castanet File Photo

West Kelowna council has given first three readings to bylaws that will create one water system, one rate structure and one quality of water for all residents.

Under the proposal, users who will benefit from the Rose Valley water treatment plant will see rates increase to help cover costs of the city's portion of the new $49-million facility, while users of the Powers Creek water treatment plant will also see rates go up to help pay for capital costs to improve that system.

Rates will change for all customers beginning in January. Uniform rates will be phased in over the next four years.

Once rates are uniform in 2021, all West Kelowna residents will pay $227 each quarter for water.

Other elements of the water rate structure include:

• Residential, industrial, commercial and institutional customers would be charged both a fixed component (operational + capital + debt) and a variable component (consumption)
• A move to a single definition of "agricultural' (BC Assessment - Class 9) and an agricultural rate structure consisting of both a flat per hectare charge and a consumption charge (both effective Jan. 1, 2020)
• The elimination of five non-conforming commercial/institutional rates from our existing bylaw effective Jan. 1, 2019
• The inclusion of a "capital component" to the city’s "unimproved parcel" water flat fee
• An update to our bulk water rates

Once the Rose Valley plant is operational, all systems will be renamed the West Kelowna Water System.