EDITORS NOTE: In 2005 when Epcor came to bid on Epcor's water supply in French Creek, the citizens of the area were warned this is exactly what would happen! I have no idea why people do not listen to those of us with so much experience in these matters?
Residents of French Creek are up in arms over proposed water-rate increases of 46 per cent over the next three years.
Epcor Water (West) Inc. has applied to the Provincial Comptroller of Water Rights for increase
Residents at large, Joe Stanhope says, shouldn?t have to pay for higher water costs triggered by new subdivisions like these on Lowry?s Road.
s over 2015-2017 to cover the cost of drilling new wells, as well as ongoing maintenance.
Epcor estimates the increase will cost an average residential customer $8.50 per month in 2015, $5.75 per month in 2016 and $6.50 per month in 2017.
The French Creek Residents Association is calculating that residents using more than 15 cubic metres of water a month will face increases of $7.09 per month (19 per cent over 2014) in 2015, $11.90 per month (32 per cent over 2014) in 2016, and $17.27 per month (46 per cent over 2014) in 2017. As well, a 'rate rider,' a billing surcharge not based on consumption, will increase more than 200 per cent.
In an email to FCRA members last week, vice-president Rob Williams calls the increases "exorbitant and unreasonable" and "shocking."
"I'm getting all sorts of emails," French Creek Area Director Joe Stanhope said Friday. "I think it's greedy and I think it's excessive. This is beyond the pale."
Proposed Rates Both he and the FCRA are planning to oppose Epcor's application.
French Creek residents as a whole, he said, shouldn't be saddled with the costs of providing water to new subdivisions in the Wembley-Lowry's roads area.
"There's a limit to what property owners can pay," Stanhope said, estimating there are more than 2,000 connections in the local Epcor system. "With the inflation rate at three per cent,
this is ridiculous – and it all goes to an Edmonton-based company.
"Privately held water for profit – it doesn't belong here."
Epcor spokesman Tim le Riche, based in Edmonton, said Friday that the proposed rates "reflect the ongoing costs of providing safe, reliable water."
An order from the Vancouver Island Health Authority regarding the treatment of surface water meant Epcor had to either build a treatment plant or abandon taking surface water from French Creek and drill new wells.
Parksville and Nanoose Bay, under the same order, opted to build a plant to treat surface water from the Englishman River at a cost of about $35 million.
Epcor opted to drill eight new wells, including test wells,for almost $3 million. It also planned $900,000 in improvements to its iron and manganese removal plant and more than $875,000 in other upgrades and replacements.
In a required notice sent to residents Jan. 22, Epcor says its additional costs stem from improving water-source reliability, meeting demand, replacing aging infrastructure (including water mains), modest customer growth, and declining consumption per customer.
The FCRA, Stanhope and Epcor are all encouraging residents to submit their views to the comptroller.
"It's not our process," le Riche said. "It's the comptroller's process, a regulatory process. "The community always has questions and we will address them in the regulatory process. We want to hear from as many people as possible."
Said the FCRA's Williams: "Some people may feel there is nothing they can do and that Epcor will be allowed to charge it's customers what they wish. You should know that the comptroller's office is mandated to protect all users of non-municipal water systems in the entire province. This means the comptroller's staff review all applications on your behalf and they will be guided by your input."
Customer submissions must be made by Feb. 23.
The process ends Mar. 27 with a 'reply submission' from Epcor.
From his experience in other such processes, le Riche said it will likely be "a number of months" before the comptroller issues an order, which can include a wide range of rulings and interim measures.
Submissions may be emailed to Rick.Couroux,,,gov.bc.ca.; faxed to 250-953-5124; or snail-mailed to Rick Couroux, Secretary to the Deputy Comptroller of Water Rights, PO Box 9340 Stn Provincial Government, Victoria, BC, V8W 9M1.
BWilford,,,OceansideStar.com.;
(250) 954-0600, ext. 211
? Oceanside Star
http://www.oceansidestar.com/news/water-rate-hike-greedy-1.1753102#sthash.UUGnwmDY.dpuf
