WATER TREATMENT PLANT (WTP) UPGRADE – SOME Qs & As
Why Is the Upgrade Needed? To comply with the BC Drinking Water Standards Act, KID must upgrade its water treatment system by adding a second form of disinfection (ultraviolet treatment) in 2027; this is a condition of KID’s Water Licence.
What Are the BC Drinking Water Standards Act Requirements? In 2006, the Province established the 4-3-2-1-0 Drinking Water Objective (DWO) and required all water suppliers serving more than 500 persons (Kaleden’s population is around 1,200) to have a plan to meet this objective.
What Is the 4-3-2-1-0 Drinking Water Objective?
[ 4 ] 4-Log Inactivation of Virus. Reduce virus levels by 99.99%; commonly achieved by
chlorination (KID does this now), maintaining 0.5 mg/L free chlorine for at least 20 mins.
[ 3 ] 3-Log Removal or Inactivation of Giardia and Cryptosporidium Protozoans. Reduce
levels by 99.9% by filtration (removal) and chlorination or ultraviolet light. Exemption from filtration (a $10 million saving) is possible with high water clarity.
[ 2 ] Two Treatment Barriers for Surface Water Sources. Chlorination alone
(which is what KID currently does) has been deemed inadequate for risk reduction. Given that KID’s water quality sampling has shown consistently clear water, dual disinfection using chlorine and ultraviolet light (UV) should suffice.
[ 1 ] Turbidity Levels Less Than 1 NTU. NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units) measure water clarity, with higher values indicating cloudier water. KID samples at the intake are
consistently less than 1 NTU, making us a good candidate for exemption from filtration.
[ 0 ] No Coliform Bacteria! KID’s routinely samples to ensure this.
Is There a Current Problem with KID’s Water Quality? The short answer is, not to date! Of the 67 chemical parameters measured by KID, only TOC (Total Organic Carbon) and TP (Total Phosphorus) exceed BC Drinking Water Guidelines. Sounds concerning, but the entire Okanagan system is naturally high in both TOC and TP, with no significant increases as you move downstream. A possible concern is that chlorination can result in potentially harmful byproducts, but these can be further reduced with the use of ultraviolet disinfection proposed as part of the WTP upgrade.
If There is No Problem with Water Quality, Why Upgrade Treatment? This is a precautionary measure, set by the Province to ensure safe drinking water for all water utilities into the future; to date, KID hasn’t had a water quality/ health issue using its deep (22 m/72 ft) intake in Skaha Lake. But… one ripple effect of climate change already seen in the South Okanagan is that cyanobacteria numbers are increasing, due to warming water temperatures. This critter produces nasty toxins harmful to humans, and deep intakes like KID’s won’t guarantee protection. This concern boosts the argument for adding UV to our water treatment procedures.
Why Use Two Types of Treatment? While KID sampling for problem protozoans (Giardia causes beaver fever, which is a parasitic infection of the digestive system; Cryptosporidium causes similar gastrointestinal issues) has not shown to be of concern to date, never say never (beavers are active along our shoreline)! Disinfection using both chlorine and UV should ensure no problems into the future.
How Can KID Obtain an Exemption from Filtration? The decision as to exemption rests with the Interior Health Authority (IHA), and they require data, and lots of it! KID has spent several years monitoring using UVT (ultraviolet transmission) and turbidity. Consistently high values (above 80%) seen for UVT, taken together with low turbidity (less than 1 NTU), should allow KID to forego filtration. Our engineering consultants (TRUE) are preparing the application for exemption from filtration, which will be submitted to the Interior Health Authority for approval. It is estimated that exemption from filtration will reduce project costs by about $10 million!
How Much Will the WTP Upgrade Cost? TRUE Engineering recently provided KID with a Class ‘C’ (90% accuracy) cost estimate of over $6 million (including options for new office and storage space, and a backup generator). That estimate was used to calculate the amount (less funds accumulated through the IHA Levy) that KID will need to borrow, estimated tentatively at of $5 million,
How Much Can the IHA Levy Help with WTP Upgrade Costs? In 2015, KID established an “IHA Levy” (the Interior Health Authority was tasked with ensuring water suppliers meet the DWO, ultimately as a condition of their Water Licenses). Despite increasing the Levy incrementally each year (now at $400 for 2026), it is barely keeping ahead of inflation. Using a conservative inflation rate of 2%, the cost of a $6M project would increase by $120,000 annually, which is almost 90% of the 2026 IHA Levy fees! Less $175,000 spent to install a new valve cluster needed for the upgrade (installing it in 2021 saved over $50,000 due to impending supply chain disruptions), IHA Levy fees accumulated to 2026 will be about $1 million, and will be used to reduce the total amount of funds required to finance construction of the WTP Upgrade.
How Much Will the WTP Upgrade Cost Each Ratepayer? KID currently services 584 ratepayers, which roughly would work out to $8,500/ratepayer as a one-time payment on a $5 million loan. Financing over 10 yrs at 4.5% (rate subject to change) would cost $10,560 or $1,056/yr (keep in mind that the IH Levy would be eliminated, making the net increase around $650/yr).
Are There Ways to Reduce the Costs for Ratepayers? KID is considering several options, including:
Sale of Properties. Ownership of land originally belonging to the Kaleden Land Development Company was transferred to KID upon its formation in the 1920s. For example, the lakefront property currently occupied by the KID Office could be sold if office, workshop and storage space are included in the new WTP building. There are other KID properties around Kaleden that also could be sold.
Upfront Payment by Ratepayers. In 2007 when KID financed the upgraded intake, 40% of the ratepayers chose the one-time payment option, which reduced the total amount required to be borrowed, and an overall cost saving for the project. If a similar percentage of ratepayers chose to do a one-time payment, that would reduce the amount of the loan required significantly, as well as the amount paid by each ratepayer.
Collaboration with Other Local Water Utilities. The RDOS has allocated funds in 2026 for a Regional Water Treatment Study, which hopefully will include KID along with other water suppliers around Skaha Lake. KID sees considerable potential for cost-sharing and savings IF a politically-acceptable strategy for collaboration can be found. Because KID was designed primarily for agricultural irrigation, residential demands account for less than 10% of its pumping capacity, and systems on the east side of Skaha Lake could be serviced by a submerged pipeline, saving the cost of separate deepwater intakes and possibly even treatment plants. However, the situation is complicated by the Provincial push to amalgamate Improvement Districts like KID with regional or municipal governments, which bars KID from even applying for funding assistance without joining RDOS.
Gain Access to Federal and Provincial infrastructure Funds. To date, all BC political parties have supported the exclusion of Improvement Districts like KID from funding programs, despite decades of lobbying.
What’s Next? This Fall, KID plans to hold a referendum asking ratepayers to approve the borrowing of up to $5 million* to construct the mandated upgrade. In order for the referendum to pass, 50% (plus one) of the votes must be in favour.
*(This is a tentative estimate - as part of the planning process, ratepayers are being asked as to their payment preferences, should the referendum pass. Their responses are NOT binding, but will be helpful in more closely determining the borrowing cost).
What If the Referendum Fails? Uncertainty will certainly reign!
KID may be able to obtain an extension for completion from the Province, and continue to collect Levy fees until construction costs are covered (at least 20 years!).
The Province may dissolve KID and transfer all assets and liabilities to RDOS to provide the services (be prepared for large tax/toll increases!)
Delaying construction may be beneficial in that technological advances could improve effectiveness and reduce costs of treatment, but likely will be swamped by inflation.
Have More Questions? Contact KID ( kaledenirrigation@gmail.com or 250-497-8450 )