The regional district is supporting the resolution of the West Bench Irrigation District to dissolve and hand over the operations to them.
The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen board has instructed staff to prepare a service agreement establishment bylaw to assume responsibilities for the WBID streetlight system. The RDOS will now wait for the premier and cabinet to sign an executive order that facilitates the formal transfer.
The RDOS also plans to request the province extend the completion date of the B.C. Community Water Improvement Program grant from March 31,2012 to March 31, 2014. That grant is for $2.35 million for fixing the pipes, metering and enhancing the disinfection by adding UV disinfection to the present chlorination. The board will also request the City of Penticton to support an application to the province to transfer the B.C. Water Improvement Program Grant and the remaining Building Canada Grant identified for the WBID to the RDOS.
In April Area F director Michael Brydon told the Penticton Western News that there could be another referendum for West Bench residents by the Fall. In December the residents voted not to hook up to the City of Penticton water. Brydon said his preference would be to flesh out the alternatives of a UV option and purchasing filtered water from the City of Penticton and present those to the residents of Area F by the summer.