Myrtle Pond water users will receive a report from the Powell River Regional District outlining the water system’s operation and costs.
In response to a presentation from water system users at the Thursday, June 11 rural services committee meeting, the committee at its Thursday, July 16 meeting received a report from Mike Wall, manager of community services, addressing the consumers’ concerns. Increases in water rates plus watering restrictions were concerns expressed during the Myrtle Point residents’ presentation.
Wall said records of consumption in the water system reveal that usage has been increasing but there have also been new houses added to the system during the past few years.
As far as the current system and the water treatment capability, the Myrtle Pond system has build-out room, however, it has its limitations. There is sufficient water in the wells according to stress tests that were conducted in the system last August, but if there is an initiative to expand the system, the build out would require higher volume pumps in one of the wells and also an added treatment unit to handle the additional volume of water. Wall affirmed that the system can handle the build out of the current boundaries and there is also the volume of water to service it.
There has been a history of notices of conservancy in the water system, according to Wall, and there have been water restrictions in the past. It is a prudent thing to do in summer months, Wall said, and if water users in the system do not want to conserve, they are going to pay.
Colin Palmer, Electoral Area C director, who chaired the committee meeting, asked if the committee received the report, would it make sense to send a copy to every household in the Myrtle Pond water system.
Al Radke, the regional district’s chief administrative officer, said the information is already available online.
Palmer said he knows sending out the report costs money but there are some users of the system “who haven’t got a clue.”
“Now you [Wall] have provided the history, never mind anything else, and there should be no doubt now what has been happening and what our ability has been to deal with this,” Palmer said. “Now they’ll understand why they are paying what they are paying.”
Wall said the regional district has the addresses of the water system users and could send the report if the committee provided direction.
The committee carried a motion to receive the report and send copies to the Myrtle Pond system users. Palmer asked if it was 61 residences using the system and the number was confirmed.
“This is so good and they’ve got to know it,” Palmer said. “If they have any arguments now, let us know.”
Wall said the report shows that in 2007 the water users voted for upgrades to the system and carried the vote with the understanding that their water costs would probably be $1,000 a year. Wall said in his report to the rural services committee that the users approved borrowing with this understanding. The costs are in fact less, ranging from $116 to $233 lower than that cost originally forecasted.
