Water woes

By Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star Published: May 01, 2011 1:00 AM
Coldstream’s mayor is defending increased water rates after a Coldstream resident opened the flood gates of frustration.  Residential water rates in Greater Vernon were bumped 20 per cent, and that increase in uncalled for, said resident John Hegler.  “Our water bill in the summer is higher than Lumby’s bill for the year,” said Hegler, blaming his local politicians for not standing up to the increase.  “You are supposed to be a voice, an advocate for the District of Coldstream, not a rubber stamp,” said Hegler. “There’s only one person (Coun. Gyula Kiss) on council here who tackles this water issue.”  Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick says the increase is necessary with Interior Health forcing the Greater Vernon water utility to implement a $20 million filtration system at the Duteau Creek treatment plant.  He says increased filtration will eventually be forced on all water utilities, but the bigger ones are being targeted first. “We are the second largest water utility now in the province,” said Garlick. “They (IH) are choosing to pick on the bigger ones first.”  Increased rates are also necessary to cover infrastructure upgrades in the near future, says Garlick.  “In this community, it’s been decades since money was put into the infrastructure.”