Rose Valley Water Service Area – April 2025 Update

Updated: May 21, 2025
Original date of issue: Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Dear Rose Valley Water Service Area Customers,

We are reaching out to you today to share what’s new since our March 31 update.

This update covers from April 1 to April 28 and includes new information on:

• Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant funding: Ratepayers options
• 2025 Water Main Flushing Program update
• Source water improvements
• Possible postal strike: Sign up for e-delivery of quarterly utility bills
• Friendly reminders

Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant project: Debt repayment options

The City of West Kelowna has substantially completed the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant and transmission mains project and is now reaching out to provide each parcel in the Rose Valley Water Local Area Service, as established in the 2020 subject to petition against process, and outlined in the public notice of intent, with the options for covering their share of the project.

The project came in on budget at $75 million. A federal and provincial grant covered $41 million, Rose Valley Water Reserves contributed $4.4 million, development cost charges provided $6.1 million and the remaining $23.5 million is the share for ratepayers, divided equally among the 8,550 parcels (total as of April 25, 2025).

Each parcel received a letter in the mail, as early as the week of April 28, 2025, providing one of two options for covering their share. These two options are in keeping with the commitments made in the 2020 subject to petition against process.

As per the letter, residents may choose from two available repayment options - each parcel is encouraged to choose the option that best suits their situation.

Option 1

Do nothing. Under Option 1, starting in 2026, staff will move your parcel’s contribution from your quarterly utility bill to your annual property tax notice, appearing as a parcel tax, starting in May 2026.

The amount removed from the water flat rate on your quarterly utility bill, starting in 2026, will be $37.50. The amount appearing on your property tax notices, as a parcel tax, starting in May 2026 and annually thereafter, will be $181.00 per year. This amount is equal to the four quarterly payments, $150, plus $31 in additional annual interest. Please note, the actual interest rate, at the time of borrowing, which is to be finalized in August/September 2025, and the number of contributing parcels, will determine the actual amount to be allocated per parcel. The borrowing term will be 25 years.

Please note, the amount stated in the 2020 public notice of intent was $150 per year, per the interest rate of 0.91 per cent, at the time. The current rate of 4.02 per cent is the reason for the added amount of $31 annually, bringing the total to $181, under Option 1.

Please also note, this is not a new charge to customers. The City is committed to following the process presented in the 2020 subject to petition process in 2020, which ratepayers approved and which provided two payment options.

Option 2

Prepay your parcel’s $2,750 portion as a one-time, upfront, lump sum. Please provide payment in person at City Hall at 3731 Old Okanagan Highway, before May 31, 2025. This option is not available after May 31, 2025 because the City must meet deadlines to finalize borrowing through the Regional District of Central Okanagan and the B.C. Ministry of Finance and the municipal budgeting process that will inform 2026 property tax notices. If you cannot pay in person, but prefer the upfront, lump sum offered through Option 2, please contact our staff at 778-797-8850 to explore possible alternatives to accommodate your circumstances.

Please also note, this is not a new charge to customers. The City is committed to following the process presented in the 2020 subject to petition process in 2020, which ratepayers approved and which provided two payment options.

If you choose Option 2, the $37.50 will be removed from your quarterly utility bill, starting in 2026, but you will not have $181 transferred to your annual property tax bill starting in May 2026 or thereafter.

Which option to choose?

Please choose whichever option works best for you.

For example, paying the one-time, lump sum, up front may not be ideal if you plan to sell within a few or even several years from now. The long-term borrowing is 25 years; therefore, if you plan on selling your home at some point in the nearer future, it may be best to have our staff move the amount from quarterly utility bills to annual property taxes as a parcel tax. If you sell your home, the parcel tax stays with the property.

How to pay, if choosing Option 2

The City of West Kelowna can accept cheques, cash or debit. Please ensure debit limits are sufficient to cover the amount. The City does not accept credit card payments. Online payments through a financial institution are not possible for this one-time prepayment option.

Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Please note, the $2,750 per parcel is lower than the $2,815 indicated in the 2020 public notice of intent because more parcels now exist in the service area to help share in the costs.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Finance staff have also provided answers to frequently asked questions on our website.

Contact us with questions

Call volumes may be high during this time. We recommend emailing ub.finance@westkelownacity.ca with questions. Alternatively, you may call 778-797-8850 and leave a message. Staff will return your call as soon as possible.

2025 Water Main Flushing Program update

The 2025 Water Main Flushing Program resumed April 2.

Crews completed flushing in Zone 3 of the former Sunnyside/Pritchard System (SS 03) on April 11. Crews are flushing in Rose Valley – Zone 1 (RV 01) of the former Lakeview System (see map). Flushing began in RV 01 on April 15 and will likely continue for a few weeks or more. Crews are proceeding as quickly as possible, and work remains subject to weather and other factors. We will send out a notice when flushing ends in Zone 1 and proceeds to the next.

While flushing occurs in each specified area, a precautionary and isolated Water Quality Advisory has been implemented for customers within that zone. To learn more about types of water quality advisories, please read Interior Health’s online resource at drinkingwaterforeveryone.ca. An alternative source of water is available via the bulk filling station at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads. Bring clean bottles for filling.

Due to the potential for settled manganese in our mains to be stirred up, we recommend that parents with infants in the Rose Valley Water Service Area not use tap water to reconstitute formula while watermain flushing is occurring within their zone.

We will issue notifications to customers when flushing ends in one zone and moves to the next. Notifications will provide a link to the zone map and information on what to do before, during and after crews are flushing your neighbourhood. Information can also be found at westkelownacity.ca/flushing.

Remain signed up to receive City news and alerts and encourage friends, family and neighbours to sign up at westkelownacity.ca/subscribe.

Settled manganese in Rose Valley Water Service Area distribution mains

Accumulated sediment, which can include manganese, has settled in our distribution mains over time and can be stirred up through high flows and velocities. This is expected for a water system that had no prior multi-barrier water treatment plant for so many decades.

However, over time, as treated water now continues to flow into the system and water main flushing efforts continue, the settled sediment will progressively reduce.

Until flushing can help reduce settled sediment in our pipes over time, it is important to note that disturbances, such as unauthorized use of our hydrants, main breaks, and high seasonal flows and velocities during irrigation season can stir up settled manganese. Authorized uses such as accessing water through hydrants for water main flushing and firefighting can also increase flows and velocities, potentially stirring up sediment, which may include manganese.

Source water improvements

A further update on source water improvements will be provided in May.

The City of West Kelowna continues to monitor throughout the system and the Rose Valley Reservoir source water. Manganese levels in the reservoir were not present during April.

The City continues to work on engineered solutions to manage dissolved manganese from the source water. If manganese levels rise, staff can activate the existing, but temporary, oxidant pre-dosing equipment until the long-term engineered solution – a potassium or sodium permanganate system – is put in place.

Possible postal strike: Sign up for e-delivery of quarterly utility bills

In case you missed our notice to all customers on Friday, April 25 we wanted to let you know that we recommend signing up to receive your quarterly utility bills via email.

Almost 4,000 customers are signed up to receive bills electronically, an increase of approximately 1,000 since last fall’s Canada Post strike. With another postal strike possible, as early as May 22, the City is asking customers to consider e-delivery to ensure you receive bills, make payments on time, and avoid unwanted late fees or interest penalties, which we must, but would rather not charge.

Sign up today at https://online.westkelownacity.ca. Once you’ve registered your account, you will receive your next utility bill or property tax notice via the email you provide. Your secure account will also allow you to check your bills, balances and payments anytime, online.

After receiving your utility bill by email, you can then simply go online and pay through your financial institution in just a few simple steps:

• Select West Kelowna – Utilities as the payee.
• You will need the account number from your utility bill.
• Pay the amount indicated on your bill.
• Retain payment confirmation.
• Please allow a few business days for the bank’s payment to reach us on time; once it does, your account will be updated to reflect that we’ve received your payment.

Friendly reminders

If you notice temporary water discoloration

• Do not consume discolored/turbid water or use it to mix/make infant formulas.
• Run your cold tap until the water is clear.
• If, after 10 minutes, the cold-water tap does not run clear, please contact us at 778-797-2246 so that our operators may assist you. By keeping in direct contact with us, we can investigate and resolve matters sooner and deliver more consistent water clarity.

Run appliances

• Running the dishwasher, washing machine, etc. will help flush away stagnant water.

Contact us first for service requests and questions

• Please contact us first with your questions and service requests by calling the City of West Kelowna’s Public Works Utilities Department at 778-797-2246.

When you return from vacation

• If you’ve been away from your property, we recommend running the cold water tap for a few minutes as part of your returning home routine.