Willow River Referendum On Water And Sewer

Friday, February 04, 2011 08:56 AM

Map of Willow River properties included in Service Area courtesy FFGRD

Prince George, B.C. - Residents living in the Willow River townsite will be voting in a referendum tomorrow on whether they are in favour of a community water and sewer service.

In a 2008 referendum, residents voted to pay a one-time parcel tax to fund a detailed engineering study. The engineers have estimated the cost of the project to be $6.7-million dollars.

The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George anticipates receiving a grant for two-thirds of that, meaning the 200 property owners would then share in the remaining one-third cost of $2.3-million dollars.

The resulting annual parcel tax for each property owner is estmated to be $1,095 per year for 25-years. There will be the option for property owners to pay their portion of capital cost up front, estimated in the range of $11,450. These costs are applicable to all properties in the service area.

In addition, those property owners who do connect to the system will face the following additional costs:

annual operation and maintenance costs estimated at $490/yr
approximately $1,240 for on-site sewage pumping components and a water meter if purchased within the first year after construction is complete (that's one-third the actual cost and, after a year, anyone connecting would pay full costs)
between $2,000 to $4,000 for on-site installation works

A community meeting, mail-out and survey presented the costs. In the survey, 67-percent of respondents (33 out of a total of 49 respondents) said based on the cost information, they would vote in favour of water and sewer service for Willow River.

Based on the survey results, the Regional Board gave third reading to the two necessary bylaws and qualified voters will be able to cast their ballots tomorrow between 8am and 8pm at the Willow River Fire Hall and the Regional District office.

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Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 08:56 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Outwest on February 4 2011 10:21 AM

Willow River People must very wealthy to pay for something like this, I could not pay for this and would have sell out.
So much for Rural Living!

Posted by: metalman on February 4 2011 11:15 AM

It would be far more cost effective to upgrade and maintain your existing system, assuming that you have enough area on your property to meet the legal requirements for a septic tank and lagoon, or a suitable drainage field. If you already have a well, or share an existing well, you can simply filter that water to municipal standards yourself, and put the long term dollars in your pocket. That way you are in control of the water quality and maintenance dollars. I smell a business opportunity here...
metalman.

Posted by: Outwest on February 4 2011 12:53 PM

Friends of ours live on North Nechako, no City Water or Sewer and moved there 30 Years ago with a Promise of City Water and Sewer within the next Year, how do I love Real Estate Agents. Metalman you are right on, Money lots of it. Just maintain what you have, it must have been ok when you moved in!

Posted by: mythoughts on February 4 2011 1:42 PM

Boy I'm sure glad I don't live in Willow River. We were thinking of moving out there. I'm glad now that we didn't. To rich for my blood.

Posted by: He spoke on February 4 2011 2:09 PM

Hmmm, me thinks that the school be built in Willow river than Giscome

Posted by: jus cuz i can on February 4 2011 2:32 PM

Yes, it probably is more cost effective to upgrade and maintain your own systems, but what about the neighbour(s)who won't?
The lots out there are small, too small to handle septic fields, so that leaves holding tanks and getting total compliance would be almost impossible. Alot of the 'septic systems' are old car bodies buried in the ground many years ago and the attitude of 'if it ain't broke..." applies. The seepage over the years has contaminated the water wells.
Why should one property owner have to pay mega amounts for filters or have to truck it in to have safe drinking water when the neighbours get away with not having to?

Posted by: Slim2229 on February 4 2011 4:02 PM

6.7 million? FOR A STUDY? Are they serious?
That blows me away. If that's for a study and it doesn't get used they still get paid.
Then what? Oh well, we tried.
In 5 years another study.
Wonder what the cost of all the construction's going to be.

Posted by: greatmysticbushape on February 5 2011 8:36 PM

Face it - Willow River has needed a good study for decades.