Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant project is on budget

The Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant (RVWTP) is on budget and remains in its planned commissioning phase and transparency and accountability updates are available for the public and will be presented to City of West Kelowna Mayor and Council on Tuesday, June 10.

The updates from City staff are being provided in response to a Council motion, which was passed at the Tuesday, May 27 meeting, calling for reports on:

• The plant’s funding reconciliation.
• An independent review of the Water Utility Master Plan, which was adopted in 2014.
• An update on the potential timeline for the aeration project in Rose Valley Reservoir.

These updates are being provided to ensure transparency and accessibility to the community.

Also, in response to Council’s request, staff are reporting that a second pre-payment window for RVWTP costs could be opened for late September 2025, if directed by Council.

“Every household in our community expects and deserves clear water, and we are working hard to deliver — both through the commissioning phase of the new Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant, and as we bump up manganese-tackling solutions that are in the works,” said City of West Kelowna Chief Administrative Officer Ron Bowles.

“We are pleased to report that the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant is on schedule and on budget and we know that accountability and transparency from the City are critically important for our community. Providing reports that show where we stand helps put all residents on the same page.”

Water quality

City staff are reporting that the RVWTP remains in its planned commissioning phase, meaning the plant is operating normally while undergoing a period of adjustments to optimize performance, which is expected to last several months.

The water continues to be safe to drink and to bathe in.

However, ongoing challenges with manganese levels have City staff working hard on solutions to prevent the reccurrence of colour. Crews are continuing to flush watermains to remove sediment from untreated water that pre-dates the plant, and a process to treat manganese before it enters the plant is underway.

Staff is also reporting that the timeline on a planned aeration project, designed to reduce manganese levels at the source Rose Valley Reservoir, can be sped up, but will not likely be completed in 2025. The aeration project was originally planned for 2029. This aeration project was already included in the city’s long-term budget.

RVWTP cost and funding reconciliation

In response to Council’s request that staff consider a second prepayment window for the RVWTP, staff are recommending a September intake window.

To pay for the water treatment plant, ratepayers are currently paying $150 per year, and this will increase to $181 per year, next year. Households in the Rose Valley Water Service Area do not need to take any action for $37.50 to automatically be taken off each quarterly water bill ($150 per year) and put onto their property tax notice, as a parcel tax instead ($181 per year), starting in 2026 and continuing for 25 years. The additional $31 per year is a result of higher interest rates.

Homeowners may choose instead to prepay their share, totalling $2,750 – an option that may make sense for a household planning to stay at the same address for the next 25 years. Staff is reporting that a second prepayment window can be opened in September 2025. If City Council votes in support of the second prepayment window, households will receive a letter directly with more information.

Staff are also releasing financial reconciliation for the RVWTP.

In all, documents released by city staff show the $75 million project is on budget with $41 million of the price tag having already been covered by federal and provincial government contributions; $6.1 million has been covered by prepaid developer fees; $4.4 million has been paid through the Rose Valley Water savings; and the remaining $23.5 million will come from borrowing to be equitably and fairly shared among parcels (land lots) in the Rose Valley Water Service Area.

Water Utility Master Plan

In response to a request from some members of the community, Council has requested information on an independent review of the 2014 Water Utility Master Plan. A review would cost between $50,000 and $150,000 and since the plan is now undergoing an update, staff are recommending that the City does not conduct this review.

Image credit to West Kelowna City.