Intake Extension - Part 1

Many of you have probably seen where the two intake pipes disappear into the Lake. You may also know that they only go out into the Lake maybe 30 feet and probably aren't even that deep. This explains why we get so much silt in the filters, especially in the spring.

Current standards require intakes to be at least 100 feet deep and we have a project underway this spring to extend our intakes to conform with that standard.

Pipe has been ordered, we're arranging for a small barge to be available to work on and we've been coordinating with a local diver to have the work done, hopefully before the spring runoff really gets underway.

As usual, we will likely need a small group of volunteers to help out in various ways. We may also need access to a couple of small boats to pull the floating pipe from Mirror Lake to our intake location and to assist when the divers are working. Please let your Water Board know if you might be able to help.

Water Conservation becomes news in the West Kootenays

CBC News played a brief interview this morning with the mayor of Castlegar. That city has committed to a completion of a water meter installation project within 5 years. The mayor's comments were related to general water conservation, the cost of treatment and how reducing water use would save the community lots of money.

A Mini Fire Interface Project

Thanks to Bill, Gord, Bill and Dave for spending the morning cleaning up the brush and fire hazard around the Treatment building. This is the second year this area has received some work and the situation is starting to look much better.

Denver Siding Experiences Rate Shock

The Valley Voice - March 10, 2010 - Facing a operating deficit of over $8000, residents of Denver Siding agreed to a water rate increase. The move will raise rates from $250/year to $400. Even this won't completely solve the problem; that would take an increase in rates to around $540.

There are many problems this small water system is facing, aside from their money woes. The system doesn't meet current standards and is one of many systems on a Boil Water Advisory for years. They have about $50,000 in their reserve fund, but that can't be used for operating costs. Upgrades to the system, where that money could be used, might cost $300,000 or more.

This leaves Denver Siding residents considering the prospect of asking to join the Village of New Denver so they can connect to their water system. This would mean an increase in property taxes, because the rates in the Village are higher than in Denver Siding. Some residents are considering drilling their own wells, believing that the wells would achieve payback in 20 years. Of course, if you're running your own private system, you shoulder all the costs, deal with all the breakdowns and need to worry about where the water table is and how it might be affecting your water supply. And if the area joins with New Denver anyway..... No easy solutions here.

Not a happy situation.

New Year Brings Changes

Starting today, the new metered water rates come into effect. Water meters have been in place now for over a year and residents have been receiving quarterly reports about water use, although the old flat rates have remained in effect. That all changes today.

At the Society's AGM last August, new rates were approved by the members present. Those rates have been approved by the Water Comptroller's Office in Victoria and are now part of our water tariff.

This change will have several effects, the most important of which is the ability to charge for actual water used. Under this new system, some users will pay less and some will pay more, just as we have done for years with electricity and any other utility or commodity we use. It is also possible that the Society's costs will go down because past history elsewhere seems to indicate that water use drops when water meters are installed.

The meters will be read at the end of March and the newly designed water bills will go out in early April.

Small Water Users Workshop

Brief notes and comments are posted about this workshop which 3 Society members attended. No really new information, although it was interesting to hear about what Interior Health intends to do about systems on long-term boil-water notices. Let's just say that it will pay to be proactive about fixing things before IH decides to get involved.

And Now - A Word from Holmes

The Province - April 26, 2009 - In an article by Mike Holmes (Holmes on Homes), a number of ways of cutting down on water waste are discussed. And since water wasted is money wasted, his comments should be interesting to anyone who pays for the water they use.

The full article can be seen on our website.