Transfer of system assets, rights of way, and water licenses would commence in late 2025. Construction of the new reservoir is estimated for 2026-2027.

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) does not speak for the Province of B.C., but it is expected the water system would remain with the private owner. The province would maintain management of the system and determine the next steps.

Provincial and federal departments offer grants. It is unknown how likely the success would be. It is expected that grants could cover up to 75% of capital costs.

The RDOS does not have knowledge of other water systems seeking grant funding.

The Regional District does not speak for the province, but IH would likely continue to identify the need for safe drinking water.

There would be a gradual increase in property taxes as the system is upgraded.

Residents could expect to see initial improvement to their water within three to four years. There would be a gradual improvement concluding approximately in 2032.

Successfully securing grants is challenging without previously achieving a positive assent process. The RDOS cannot apply for grants without being the owner of the system.

No. Securing grants is heavily weighed on having the RDOS portion secured. RDOS representatives have met with provincial officials regarding the need to support the upgrade to the Sage Mesa Water System.

The province (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) is the approver of subdivisions, not the RDOS. The Regional District would not have knowledge of such an agreement.

650,000 in capital reserves is held by the province.

Since 1990, the province has been looking after the water system.

Yes, grants covered approximately 66% of the cost.

An assent process would still be required. There is a cost to connect to the City of Penticton’s water system.

The reservoir has exceeded its service life and is at risk for structural failure. A reservoir is the cornerstone of a water system. It has not been determined where the replacement reservoir would be located.

The whole of the Sage Mesa water system would be included.

This can be investigated and would be determined based on costs.

The issue of water pressure will be reviewed and addressed as part of the system upgrades.

The RDOS tests on behalf of the province.

Having the support of Interior Health would be beneficial to grant applications.

The cost of the engineering and financial assessment, together with the report is $ 104,582 taxes included.

The RDOS is making intentional efforts to explore connecting to the City of Penticton’s water system as an option. Our priority and goal is to find the most ideal option for Sage Mesa residents.

Any grants pursued by the RDOS would be to the overall benefit of the project and would be assessed upon application and/or acceptance.

Before any decision is made on which option is the most cost-effective, all alternatives need to be thoroughly explored. The RDOS will develop a plan and make a recommendation based on a cost-benefit analysis.

The engineering report will be part of the feasibility study. If the water treatment plan (WTP) is recommended, as stated, all WTP expenses would be shared based on an agreed formula. The distribution systems would remain separate and expenses and ownership would stay with the current owners.

The funds were approved by the Provincial government and obtained from the current capital reserve held for the Sage Mesa Water System. The reserve funds are added each year from the payments made by the system's customers.

The intent is to construct the new reservoir at the existing upper reservoir site within the current right of way, then remove the existing reservoir.

The referendum is anticipated to be conducted in fall 2025.

The project will be broken into many smaller projects, however, funding needs to be available for each of these prior to them being carried out.

It has been difficult to complete the necessary upgrades for each system acquired if approval for borrowing funds was not made up front. In evaluating the assessment reports, the direction taken cannot just look at the immediate issue, but needs to focus on what needs to be completed for regulatory requirements, as well as overall replacement requirements. For Sage Mesa, the condition and remaining service life of existing watermains are unknown, so the least-ideal case scenario, which is a complete replacement, must be contemplated until proved otherwise. If only funds are approved for the initial upgrades and watermains begin to fail or have increasing breaks, the funds would not be available to adequately replace these mains.

It is the resident’s choice how they wish to vote. The RDOS cannot promise a reduced cost, but we can commit to diligently working to apply for grant funding whenever possible.

The decision to move forward with the connection to the City of Penticton would be up to the Province of British Columbia, with any agreement involving the RDOS as well.

This project page on Regional Connections (rdosregionalconnections.ca) is the best avenue. Additionally, there will be a total of three community open house events. One was held in the Fall of 2024, and the others are planned for June 12 and September 10, 2025.

For further information, view the resources on this page and be sure to 'Follow' the project page for future updates.

While the Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) has managed the Sage Mesa water system since 1990, the administration of grant funding falls under a different provincial ministry. As a result, WLRS is not directly responsible for decisions related to grant approvals or funding allocations.

All properties within the Sage Mesa water service area share the same infrastructure and are part of the same service boundary. As such, costs for necessary upgrades are distributed among all users in the service area, including Husula Highlands.

Packaged water treatment systems are one of several potential solutions. Before selecting a treatment option, the RDOS will evaluate all viable alternatives through a cost-benefit analysis. At this stage, only a high-level estimate has been prepared based on standard technologies. A detailed plan and recommendation will follow once further analysis is complete.

Yes, the RDOS did receive a proposal from the City of Penticton. The information and estimated costs were included in the assessment report prepared by McElhanney.

While connecting to the City’s water system may seem like the simplest option, it comes with significant costs. These include payments to the City of Penticton and potential upgrades to Penticton’s infrastructure to support the Sage Mesa area.

In the past, West Bench was able to secure water from the City of Penticton with the help of two grants. However, grant funding has become more competitive, and the Province of British Columbia now prefers different approaches. Most grants cover up to two-thirds of eligible project costs, one-third from the federal government and one-third from the Province. The remaining one-third must be paid by the local government, which in this case would be the Sage Mesa water system users.

It’s important to note that grants would only apply to specific parts of the project, such as water treatment improvements, not the full $33 million estimated cost. Before applying for any grants, the RDOS would need approval from residents through a borrowing bylaw to cover the local share.

The RDOS is continuing to explore all options carefully to find the best long-term solution for the community.