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District of Clearwater seeks approval to borrow for water upgrades

Project would include a third well plus a new water-line from Harby Road to Eden Road
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By Keith McNeill

Thompson-Nicola Regional District has attracted some criticism because it chose to use an alternative approval process to decide whether to go ahead developing a proposed geopark for the North Thompson Valley.

Now District of Clearwater plans to use the same process to measure if there is enough support to borrow about $315,000 to pay for upgrades to the town’s water system.

The total costs of the project would be $2.1 million, of which grants from the federal and provincial governments would cover $1.75 million.

The District would like to borrow the remainder and then repay it over a 10-year period.

The major component of the project would involve the new well that was recently drilled in Reg Small Park (next to the RCMP office). This would include not just the cost of the well-drilling but also a new pump-house and connecting the well to the existing water system.

A second component to the project would be to build a water supply line from Harby Road to Eden Road. This would provide better water supply to the reservoir located above the S-curves on Clearwater Valley Road, and would increase to fire flows within the core areas of our community.

Why build a new well?

According to chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx, the District of Clearwater has two water supply wells and a surface water intake system.

Well #1, which is located in Reg Small Park, does not have sufficient water to operate during low flow periods in the adjacent Clearwater River. This typically happens during winter and spring, therefore requiring a reliance on Well #2.

Well #2, located across the road from Dutch Lake beach, has plenty of capacity but also has manganese concentrations that exceed the Canadian drinking water quality guidelines.

The surface water intake is located behind the ski hill and draws water from Russell, Hascheak and MacDougall creeks. It is adequate during wetter years but during dry years is inadequate and unreliable.

Groulx noted that at present the surface system cannot be used due to creek flows.

The project has several objectives, said the CAO.

The first would be to provide the residents of Clearwater with a longterm, reliable and safe water supply fully complying with the Interior Health Authority standards.

The second would be to reduce Clearwater’s reliance on the surface water source. This would allow the source to be taken offline in the event of a provincially declared drought.

Objective number three would be to upgrade the water supply infrastructure to support economic growth within the community.

Other objectives would include eliminating hydraulic “bottlenecks” in the existing supply system and saving significant amounts of electrical energy.

Clearwater town council proposes to adopt a well loan authorization bylaw to cover the District’s portion of the water infrastructure upgrades.

However, council cannot approve the bylaw until the approval of electors has been obtained.

According to Groulx, the cost to property owners within the water service area for a 10-year loan, including interest, would be $323,593.

Divide that amount by 992 properties equates to $326.20 for a one-time payment or $32.62 per year for a 10-year period.

The District could fund from water reserves and surpluses without borrowing.

However, the CAO feels it is prudent to keep reserves for future identified water infrastructure needs.

The District has estimated the number of people over the age of 18 living within the water service area to be 1,558.

Under the alternative approval process, unless 10 per cent (156) of the electors within the service area sign and submit elector response forms, then the bylaw will be approved and the borrowing will go ahead.

Reason for choosing the alternative approval process appears to be cost, which was estimated to be approximately $1,000.

Deadline for those opposing the loan to upgrade Clearwater’s water system to submit their response forms is 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9.