West Kelowna residents getting the bill for Rose Valley water plant

Photo: Alistair Waters - file

Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant

Some residents within the Rose Valley water local service area are confused after receiving a notice in the mail concerning repayment options for the new Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant.

The letters, which have begun arriving in the mail over the last few days, outline two options residents can choose to pay for their portion of the $75 million water treatment plant, which came online at the end of 2023 but had a bumpy first year.

Property owners who choose Option 1 will have approximately $181 added to their yearly municipal tax bill beginning in 2026.

The borrowing term is 25 years.

The original amount identified in 2020 was $150 yearly at an interest rate of 0.91 per cent, however the city says current interest rates of 4.02 per cent have caused the yearly amount to go up.

Under Option 2, property owners could pay their portion of the water treatment plant in the amount of $2,750 by submitting that amount to the city before May 31, 2025.

Option 2 is not available after May 31.

Local social media groups have lit up with with residents who are surprised and unhappy with the letters they are receiving, but the city says the repayment plan was established back in 2020, when the final cost of the treatment plant was determined.

While the 25-year option will cost homeowners more because of rising interest rates, the city says it was able to lower the lump-sum total from the originally planned $2,815 due to growth of the community sharing the cost.