Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Tuesday, 24 March 2015 04:17
The group Citizens for Change says Greater Vernon residents are getting hosed on their water rates. Former city manager Eric Jackson told Vernon council, using the Duteau Creek source for domestic and farming is the reason the rates have tripled since 2003. "The impact of this is that people on fixed incomes are finding it very difficult to pay their water bills. It's making Vernon less competitive with other Okanagan cities," says Jackson. The group wants a change in the master water plan to make Duteau Creek water just for farming, and using Kal and Okanagan lakes for domestic. "The high costs that citizens are paying is now going to to pay for expensive treatment of the worst quality water that we have in this area," says Jackson, who served as director of water reclamation for the city for 25 years and is currently a professor at Okanagan College. Councillor Juliette Cunningham -- who is also Greater Vernon Advisory Committee chair -- says they will get public input as part of the process. "I don't think we can assume to know what failed. Was it the plan, or the funding for the plan? I don't think any of us are really clear about that, and it's something we need to clarify," Cunningham tells Kiss FM. Council will discuss the group's request for support at its next meeting April 13.
No comments:
Post a Comment