Expensive ‘choice’ facing some water users

An unpleasant surprise is due to land soon in the mailboxes of approximately 240 property owners in Summerland.

The intended recipients are those whose properties have a second, unmetered domestic water service, which the District of Summerland has been trying to regulate for years in a bid to conserve water and level the playing field for all users.

So-called choice letters going out this week will give affected property until March 31 to select from three options: disconnect the second service at the district’s cost; pay the district $3,500 to install a new water meter on the second service; or pay the district $3,500 to install a new water meter on both water services.

“For those customers who choose to disconnect their domestic second service, come April when we have the irrigation turn-on season, we simply won’t turn them on and we will begin to disconnect those customers one-by-one through the year,” explained Jeremy Storvold, the district’s director of utilities, in a report to council Monday.

Storvold said the broad course of action and $3,500 cost were approved by the previous council through resolutions passed in 2019 and 2020, but the project was sidelined by COVID-19.

In response to concerns about customers coming up with $3,500 on short notice, Storvold said they won’t actually be required to pay until the district is ready install the meter, which could be a year or more away. Council also heard it wouldn’t be feasible to let people pay in installments.

Coun. Richard Barkwill suggested the lack of firm timelines could cause problems if people try to delay their meter installation in order to dodge the bill as long as possible. But he supported the overall direction.

“This issue’s about 15 years old. It was the first thing on council’s agenda in 2014 and we flip-flopped and it’s been debated and we’ve settled on a good plan – and I still wholeheartedly endorse this plan,” he said.

Barkwill noted affected users once got their second line for free and now pay a flat rate based on the property size and the price of untreated irrigation water.

“If we get complaints about this, they’ve had 15 years of cheap or even free water,” he said.