Why give $3.5 million to the City of Penticton as a signing bonus to allow 352 West Bench families an opportunity to buy a 25-year water contract from the City of Penticton, at a rate Penticton sets, that can increased at any time, with no opportunity for West Bench residents to ever dispute the rate?
Water rates will be the highest we have ever paid. Estimated at over $1,700 a year, in 25 years 352 households will pay over $14 million for city water.
The boil water notice that has been posted since last summer is ‘maintenance repair’, and should have been repaired last fall. I have an email from the RDOS stating it was to be repaired last fall. We had no health concerns until the RDOS took over the system. The City of Penticton now has the maintenance contract, and they must feel very uneasy.
Our water pipeline system has a need of upgrade, as does any water system, and this will be done without a major cost. This upgrade is 75 per cent complete, it is not a worn-out system. Where is the common sense in this West Bench water issue?
The city only wants $3.5 million for the city needs — West Bench residents will personally pay over $1 million to the city. This grant application was made by the city for the city.
Why pay this kind of dollars to sign a 25-year contract, that will cost over twice as much as we were paying three years ago. We also give our water rights to the city for 25 years, something they also need.
A petition by West Bench residents presented to the RDOS three years ago asked for a choice between city filtration and an ultraviolet water system. What happened to the choice?
I remember a West Bench meeting a couple of years ago when an RDOS director announced the formation of the WB water advisory committee for West Bench to assist in water planning and direction. Now the RDOS has full control, where is the WB water advisory committee? The RDOS director said at a recent meeting, “It is not required”.
West Bench and Sage Mesa could install an ultraviolet water system, that is economical to operate and within our financial means, without paying millions to the City of Penticton.
Why is the federal government grant only for filtration water, when the ultraviolet water system in 2005 has Interior Health approval? This UV system should also have federal approval.
Please, can someone come up with a better plan? My suggestion is an ultraviolet water system for West Bench, Sage Mesa and Husula Highlands.
Ken Davis
West Bench