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West Bench voters turnout for advance poll on water

About 50 people cast votes Wednesday in the advanced poll on the West Bench water referendum

About 50 people cast votes Wednesday in the advanced poll on the West Bench water referendum, according to Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen deputy corporate officer Christy Malden.

General voting on the referendum goes next Saturday as residents decide if they want to hook up to the City of Penticton’s municipal water supply.

The water system upgrade would cost about $9.8 million, with $5.7 million covered by grants, while the balance would have to be borrowed by the RDOS.

Once hooked up, West Bench residents would pay 22 cents per cubic metre for their water, plus an up-front payment to the city of $3.6 million covered by the province.

The alternative would see approximately the same amount of money spent on a dedicated West Bench ultra-violet water treatment plant.

Malden said the area contains roughly 300 households. General voting is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 2 at West Bench Elementary School. More details can be found online at www.rdos.bc.ca.