The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has appointed elections officers for the vote on the Vintage Views Wastewater System and Lakeshore Waterworks System takeover referendum.
Advance voting took place on April 2 in Penticton while general voting will be on April 12 at the Okanagan Fall Community Centre, 1141 Cedar St., Okanagan Falls.
At the ballot residents will be asked to vote on two questions, one for each utility, and whether they want the regional district to take over the operation, maintenance and upgrades for the systems as well as borrowing to cover said upgrades.
In November, the regional district board voted to go to the electorate to establish both the the Vintage Views Wastewater System and the Lakeshore Waterworks System as services of the regional district.
In addition, borrowing is being sought for capital upgrades to both systems. The amount is $6,962,000 for the Vintage Views Wastewater System and $13,530,000 for the Lakeshore Waterworks System.
An assessment report, presented in the fall, stated that Vintage Views has numerous problems with the existing wastewater treatment plan and infiltration filed. Lakeshore Waterworks also requires improvement projects to comply with regulatory and health and safety standards.
The wastewater system has had multiple violations of environmental regulations that has resulted in thousands of dollars in fines from the Ministry of the Environment and the regional district has not issued any development permits for vacant lots due to the systems' deficiencies.
The Vintage Views system was established in 2003. At present it services 78 households and 33 vacant lots, for a total of 111 connections.
The Lakeshore system services 332 parcels, including 41 vacant lots. This system received authorization in 1975.
Any borrowing to cover the upgrades would be spread out across the properties the utilities service, and repaying that borrowing would fall on the systems' user base.
For Vintage Views, properties serviced by the wastewater utility are anticipated to see their annual parcel tax reach $4,308.30 for the next 30 years. For the Lakeshore Waterworks Utility, the cost is estimated at $2,869.17 a year, over 30 years.
The borrowing and the increases to the parcel taxes are based on the maximum cost if the regional district is unable to secure any grant funding for the upgrades.
