Engineers estimate $20M to fix two private utilities
Homeowners connected to a pair of privately owned utility systems south of Penticton could see their annual price of sewer and water service rise to $10,000 to finance $20 million in urgently needed repairs, according to newly released engineering assessments.
Studies of the Vintage Views sewer system and Lakeshore Waterworks water system were completed in February 2024 by Ecora Engineering on behalf of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.
The RDOS is mulling over an offer to purchase the systems from owner Johnny Aantjes. They service the neighbourhoods of Heritage Hills, Vintage Views and Lakeshore Highlands, high above the east side of Skaha Lake.
The next step in the acquisition process -which was initially set to wrap up late this year but is now months behind schedule -- is a public meeting to discuss the reports.
“Details of the public meeting are being planned and I look forward to ensuring the information provided in the assessments is openly communicated with users of the utilities. Additional next steps will be discussed at that time,” said Matt Taylor, the RDOS director for Area D, in a statement this week.
“The broader issue of whether the two utilities will be converted to RDOS services is important to system users. And it’s a sensitive topic – there are sizable sums of money, and some individuals will feel significantly impacted.
“If conversion proceeds – and there are many steps to complete before this can happen – I will continue working with RDOS staff towards that outcome while respecting the interests of all involved.”
Sizeable sums, indeed.
Ecora estimates the sewer system, which services 112 lots through a 1.9-kilometre network of pipes, would require $6.2 million in capital improvements over the first five years of RDOS ownership.
Borrowing to fund that work, combined with increased operating costs, would lift the average homeowner’s sewer bill from a flat $1,000 per year to an estimated $5,800.
“The existing sanitary gravity pipe network, the lift station, and the force main are generally in good condition and have sufficient capacity to convey the current sanitary flows,” according to the report.
“However, there are numerous problems with the existing wastewater treatment plant and infiltration field, along with a history of non-compliance and penalties. The most recent penalty on June 7, 2023, was for an amount of $197,500. It is not known whether the private owner has paid this fine.”
The sewer system has already been flagged by the B.C. government as a high risk for failure and is the subject of various repair orders and a pollution prevention order, which since August 2021 has prevented the RDOS from issuing building permits for new homes that would connect to the system.
The water system is struggling, too.
“The general condition of the infrastructure was found to be poor to fair, but in operation on a daily basis,” according to Ecora’s report.
Ecora estimates the water system, which has 270 connections on a 10.2-km network of pipes, requires $13.2 million in capital improvements -– including creation of a new water treatment plant –- within the first four years of RDOS acquisition.
Borrowing to fund that work, combined with increased operating costs, would lift the average homeowner’s water bill from a flat $1,080 per year to an estimated $3,900.
Both reports, which are available online at www.rdosregionalconnections.ca, were redacted before public release on April 3 and don’t say much about the current financial health of the systems.The sewer report notes financial reports “were requested but not received from the private owner.”