The soon-to-be-built Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant (RVWTP), is scheduled for review at tonight’s West Kelowna council meeting.
Council will review a report that recommends establishing the local service area as well as deliberating options for property owners on how they would pay for the water service.
Long-term borrowing of up to $23.5 million is being recommended. According to city staff, the long-term borrowing model was successfully used for the city’s previous sewer projects and the Powers Creek Water Treatment Plant.
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The purpose of the report is to:
- Inform and seek council’s endorsement to begin the process of establishing a local area service for future users of the plant (8,246 properties as of July 13, 2020)
- To inform and seek council’s endorsement of recommended long-term borrowing, and begin a council initiative — subject to petition against process to determine if property owners are opposed to long term borrowing of up to $23.5 million, and what the alternative implications are (e.g. short-term borrowing) as the project proceeds
- To confirm that the planned RVWTP annual water rate increase of $34 divided over two years ($13 in 2021 and $21 in 2022) remains unchanged and no additional annual increases to design, build and finance the plant are required; and
- To confirm that the $34 increase (from $116 to $150 annually that would transfer from the utility bill into a parcel tax) will cover the cost to design, build and finance the plant over the long-term borrowing period.
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If council endorses the local service area and recommended long-term borrowing model, the process would immediately begin and continue through late summer.
This includes mailing a package to RVWTP local service area property owners and based on any forms received by the city within the 30-day period, will subsequently inform council about the use of long-term borrowing for the RVWTP.
For more information, and to view the report, visit westkelownacity.ca/mayorandcouncil.