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South Okanagan Photos

Is it coming – water meters for farmers ? – Penticton folks

Staff recommendation

THAT Council receives the Draft Water Conservation Plan for the City’s irrigation systems as prepared by

Urban Systems (April, 2016); AND THAT staff commences a consultative process with the Agricultural Committee and the Agriculture land owners and operators,

AND THAT following consultation the results along with any report revisions be brought back for Council to consider.

Background

On January 11, 2016 Council considered which project they would like to advance as a grant application to

the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund Program. Council passed resolution 13/2016,

A key component of the grant application is the inclusion of a Water Conservation Plan. The City engaged

the services of Urban Systems Ltd, authors of the Irrigation Master Plan (IMP) and IMP Financial Strategy, to produce this Water Conservation Plan (The Plan) a Draft copy of which is attached (Attachment “B”).

The Plan reviewed historical irrigation water use and practices and identifies various measures which

collectively could reduce water use in the range of 30-35% from current levels.

The measures, which the City would make best efforts to apply, include:

• increased irrigation system efficiency,

• meter installation and move to consumption based rate structure,

• water metering restrictions and stakeholder education program,

• Irrigation management.

The Water Conservation Plan is in Draft Form and will remain so until staff can undertake engagement with the Agricultural Committee and the Agricultural Irrigation System users. That being said it is however necessary to obtain a resolution regarding the Draft Water Conservation Plan to include with our Grant Submission. There is insufficient time to complete an engagement process and revise the Draft Report prior to the grant deadline.

Financial implication – Should the City be successful in its grant application it could receive $933,333 toward the project.

Analysis

It is necessary to include a Water Conservation Plan with the application for Irrigation Water Meters to be

eligible for consideration under the grant process. Alternatively should Council choose they could decide

not to proceed with the Water Conservation Plan or submission of the grant application.