Project Update: May 9, 2025

Information Meeting: Sage Mesa Water System Acquisition Assessment

Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time:
6:30 to 7:30 pm

Location: West Bench Elementary School, 1604 West Bench Drive, Electoral Area “F”
Parking is available in the gravel lot north of the school or West Bench Drive.

Meeting hosts:

  • Riley Gettens, Electoral Area “F” Director
  • RDOS Public Works and Legislative Services senior staff

Special guests:

  • Amelia Boultbee, MLA (Penticton-Summerland)
  • Al Aderichin, P. Eng., Head, Water Utilities Engineering, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
  • Judy Ekkert, B.Sc., Specialist Environmental Health Officer, Drinking Water Systems Program,
    Environmental Public Health - Interior Health

Reason for the meeting:

  • Provide a high-level review of the 2024 Engineering and Financial Assessments
  • Introduce the assent voting (referendum) process
  • Provide residents with an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback with special guests,
    Director Gettens, and RDOS senior staff

Important notes:

  • No new funding announcements are planned at this time.
  • This is a follow-up session to the public meeting held on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.
  • A third public information meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
  • The assent vote is anticipated to be scheduled in November 2025.
    Assent and advance voting dates will be advertised via mail-out and RDOS web and social media channels.

Video presentations for the June 12 and September 10 meetings will be posted on RDOS Regional Connections.

Click here to view the information meeting mail-out.

information meeting poster

Project update: March 20, 2025

The assent voting opportunity for the Sage Mesa Water System has been postponed to allow for additional information to be collected and distributed to residents. The assent voting opportunity may be held in the fall of 2025, but a date has not yet been set.

Sage Mesa Water Service Area

Sage Mesa Water Service Area

West Bench Water Financial Information

For reference, click here to view the financial fact sheet for West Bench Water.

West Bench Irrigation District was taken over by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) in 2011.

It was determined various infrastructure upgrades were needed, including a booster station, reservoir, and water mains.

Sage Mesa Water System Community Conversation

Updates

Utility Acquisition Assessment Process

The Regional District has received expression of interest letters from Sage Mesa Water and Public Service Co. Ltd to sell the water system to the Regional District. This utility is located in Electoral Area “F” on the west side of Okanagan Lake.

The Regional District has a Water and Sewer Utility Acquisition Policy that outlines specific activities for the transfer of utility systems. In order to capture and coordinate all acquisition aspects, the acquisition assessment process for the services is complex and methodical.

In January 2023, the Regional District and Sage Mesa Water and Public Service Co. Ltd entered into an agreement to explore the transfer of this utility ownership.

Successful completion of this transfer includes the initiation of due diligence for the Utility Acquisition.

The following outlines the Acquisition Assessment schedule;

  1. February 2023: Board approval to proceed with the acquisition process
  2. April 2023: Background information collection
  3. June 2023: Consultant hired to complete first main milestone: Engineering and Financial Assessment
  4. December 2023: Draft report review and revisions underway
  5. July 2024: Engineering Report finalized and presented to RDOS Board
  6. October 2024: Service area creation and borrowing bylaws received 3 readings at the Board and assent process was initiated

With direction to begin the assent process, where the public votes on the RDOS taking over the utility, public engagement is initiated.

The meeting scheduled for October 30, 2024, will be the first of several events in the coming months to discuss the assent process and financial implications, and answer questions.

FAQ