$1,000/year for water in West Kelowna?

[Ken7]

I'm sure golf courses and farming will be exempt from this tho, farming I can understand but golf courses should be paying the highest rates

I can only speak for Kelowna Golf and Country Club, they don't use City water other then club house. They have several wells, which pump into their ponds and they use it to keep the lawn green. Big saving for them even though they were agriculture rates prior to.

[steve mc]

the golf courses on westside dont use city water.

[dodgerdodge]

Here's a brochure from City of WK that outlines new water pricing rates.
http://www.westkelownacity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/8851

Ok i'm confused. I just got my utility bill and this leaflet inside. It says Lakeview Irrigation in 2017 pays $90 per quarter BUT i have never paid this. My invoices from DWK for flat water rate during 2017 have always been $55.55, where does this $90 come from? I mean it was looking pretty steep to go from $90 to $227 but to go from $55 to $227 is even worse.
What am i not understanding here?

[TreeGuy]

We got our water bill today, we live in the Westbank area.

109.43 for flat rate water + 13.94 metered water, (we had a home stay girl that took long showers. )
42.20 for garbage
92.70 for sewer

[dodgerdodge]

We got our water bill today, we live in the Westbank area.

109.43 for flat rate water + 13.94 metered water, (we had a home stay girl that took long showers. )
42.20 for garbage
92.70 for sewer

Thats not bad my metered water was 27.40
But according to that same leaflet your flat rate should be 153 in 2017 so i don't get it

[jcow84]

Here's a brochure from City of WK that outlines new water pricing rates.
http://www.westkelownacity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/8851

Ok i'm confused. I just got my utility bill and this leaflet inside. It says Lakeview Irrigation in 2017 pays $90 per quarter BUT i have never paid this. My invoices from DWK for flat water rate during 2017 have always been $55.55, where does this $90 come from? I mean it was looking pretty steep to go from $90 to $227 but to go from $55 to $227 is even worse.
What am i not understanding here?

The other thing that was confusing to us about this DWK brochure is that in its comparison chart it states quarterly water rates for Rutland Water Works are an average of $139/quarter. We have NEVER paid anything close to this, and I just took a gander on the Rutland WW website, and it states that for 2018 they are raising unmetered single dwelling home rates to $94.92/quarter. It just seems confusing as to where the DWK is getting their numbers from.

https://www.rutlandwaterworks.com/billing/

[noremac]

They are "pre billing" the residents to get the funds to build the Plant. WK residents get to pay for clean water that won't be ready for??? Haven't seen a RFQ or any kind of award to proceed with the project. Must be nice to just collect money on nothing. Why wouldn't they get a proper price together, get the Provincial Grant and then borrow what is needed to complete? They could collect money for years just by dangling the "clean and safe water, coming soon to a tap near you" carrot. Smells a little off,IMHO.

[kumazatheef]

It says Lakeview Irrigation in 2017 pays $90 per quarter BUT i have never paid this. My invoices from DWK for flat water rate during 2017 have always been $55.55, where does this $90 come from? I mean it was looking pretty steep to go from $90 to $227 but to go from $55 to $227 is even worse.
What am i not understanding here?

Those are average rates.
Per: http://www.westkelownacity.ca/747/Water-Rates

[kumazatheef]

Why wouldn't they get a proper price together, get the Provincial Grant and then borrow what is needed to complete?

From the pamphlet:

Why not borrow the funds over a longer period so our rates aren’t going to be so high?
The City is borrowing funds internally for its share of the construction of the new water plant, but will pay its reserves back within seven years. Council chose not to pursue long-term borrowing simply because there is a risk of losing the generous grant the City received towards construction of the new treatment plant. The City was extremely fortunate to receive $41 million from the federal and provincial governments, which equals 87% of the funding needed. West Kelowna ratepayers only need to fund 13% of the overall cost. Grants come with timelines and any delay, including for an electoral approval process, could put this important grant funding in jeopardy.

They've already gone for RFQ for a PM, and timeline has construction starting in 2018, according to one of the presentation panels, looks like April of 2018.
And honestly, if they every tried to pull a "dangling carrot", I'm sure there'd be an outright revolt.

[dodgerdodge]

It says Lakeview Irrigation in 2017 pays $90 per quarter BUT i have never paid this. My invoices from DWK for flat water rate during 2017 have always been $55.55, where does this $90 come from? I mean it was looking pretty steep to go from $90 to $227 but to go from $55 to $227 is even worse.
What am i not understanding here?

Those are average rates.
Per: http://www.westkelownacity.ca/747/Water-Rates

So what exactly does an average rate mean? How is it worked out on what basis? I am paying almost half what the "average" rate is but why? Does this also mean the figure of $227 which will be the new flat rate in a few years is also an average and i may pay much less than that. If i will have to pay the full $227 then my flat rate will have increased by 300% !!!!!!!

[okinnkeeper]

hopeful to clear up some confusion about our water rates:

I'm on the Powers Creek (Westbank) water system and this is what I found on West Kelowna Bylaw (28 http://www.westkelownacity.ca/134/Bylaws)

Flat quarterly rate starting Jan.2018 138.36 (was 109.43 till Dec.31st)
plus metered water up to 100 cubic meters $0.33 a cubic meter
101-300 " $o.66 "

there are also rates available for Rose Valley water system

have fun .......

[kumazatheef]

So what exactly does an average rate mean? How is it worked out on what basis? I am paying almost half what the "average" rate is but why? Does this also mean the figure of $227 which will be the new flat rate in a few years is also an average and i may pay much less than that. If i will have to pay the full $227 then my flat rate will have increased by 300% !!!!!!!

As menton, there are presentation panels at http://www.westkelownacity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/8761 , page 5.
As for how "average" is calculated and what it means ... well ... "math".

[dodgerdodge]

So what exactly does an average rate mean? How is it worked out on what basis? I am paying almost half what the "average" rate is but why? Does this also mean the figure of $227 which will be the new flat rate in a few years is also an average and i may pay much less than that. If i will have to pay the full $227 then my flat rate will have increased by 300% !!!!!!!

As menton, there are presentation panels at http://www.westkelownacity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/8761 , page 5.
As for how "average" is calculated and what it means ... well ... "math".

Ok so that page shows operating flat fee as $222 which equates to my $55 per quarter, that makes sense. I still don't get what an average rate is for an average single family dwelling. Mine is obviously not average??

[kumazatheef]

Ok so that page shows operating flat fee as $222 which equates to my $55 per quarter, that makes sense. I still don't get what an average rate is for an average single family dwelling. Mine is obviously not average??

I highly spsect that for 2017, they just took all costs for single family dwellings and averaged them out. That's it. So that would be taking dwellings where there's 1 person, 6 people, or possibly even an illegal suite with 2 families that totals 12 people. Average up the invoices and bob's yer uncle.

[goodswimmer]

Way too expensive if you ask me