By Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM
Vernon's Okanagan Spring Brewery has been given more time to upgrade its facility. City council has given the beer maker until the end of June to complete a project to reduce the strength of its wastewater discharge, even though it's currently contravening city bylaws. Councillor Patrick Nicol feels the company is trying to make the improvements. "They're spending upwards of $300,000 in addition to what they previously were doing to try and meet the conditions that are being asked of them, so it's not like they aren't making a significant effort towards this."Councillor Barry Beardsell was opposed to the extension, feeling Okanagan Spring is getting special treatment, which he says is costing the other utility users.
--------------------------------
Don Quixote Note: This is the 3rd extension from the original deadline of Dec. 31/06. Staff will use the time to bring back a user fee change so the usage amount is calculated more accurately and to enable to allow the city to reduce that charge from about 80% down to 55%. The net anticipated result is that the $300,000 that would have come the City's way from fines for contravening city bylaw will be offset by about $100,000 to $150,000 from the new more accurate billing method. The brewery stated that even with their planned improvements that they will not meet the City's bylaw standards and that they will willingly pay these charges when the deadline comes up. Their only alternative would be a separated waste water system and that would be both cost prohibitive and would require more property on which to locate such an improvement. Hopefully this $150,000 net will be part of the anticipated Sewer Budget for 2008.
No comments:
Post a Comment