The Annual General Meeting of the Hagensborg Water Board was held Thursday, April 24th. The Trustees outlined projected Issues on the water Boards horizon and wants to engage in community discussions regarding potable water and water delivery priorities. The Water Board is preparing for several community meetings this coming year to discuss: aging and degrading water mainline pipe, dam and intake and work with Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and water treatment system.
The Waterworks District has been engaged in discussions with DFO regarding a possible joint infrastructure project with improvements to the water intake. Turbidity sensing monitors have been installed and DFO is monitoring the readings and reporting any water turbidity events to the District
There are some very big issues being discussed provincially as no funding has been allotted for the implementation of water treatment systems. New information is being considered by the province regarding potable water risk and possible exemptions as most small water systems struggle with maintenance and replacement of aging infrastructure just like the Hagensborg water system.
In 2013 the initial draft maintenance cost for the pilot project water treatment system was $6,983.93, which the Trustees believe may prove to be unaffordable. The pilot project will be completed this coming year and the projected maintenance costs will be better understood. The Hagensborg Water Board has developed a well to improve water quality during high water turbidity events and reduce maintenance costs. The well is to be used during turbidity events by shutting down the intake at the Dam until the turbidity event has passed where we will be back on Snootli Creek water.
Over the past 5 years the Hagensborg Water District Trustees have engaged the water users’ participation in choosing a water treatment path as specified under the Water Act and Regulations. The Water Board Trustees promised that no monies collected would be spent until: all approvals are in place; water treatment would be from saved dollars not borrowed dollars, (expected to take from six to eight years for implementation of treatment system which was approved by Dr. Mardicay of VHA, which we are in year five); monies saved for replacement purchase of a fire truck; results from a water treatment pilot project to understand maintenance costs, and the Water Board would present results to the community for final treatment approval when maintenance and replacement costs were understood.
The Hagensborg Water Board has $586,487.50 saved in term deposits with the Credit Union at this time. Summary of Saved Funds for Hagensborg Waterworks District: Chequing: $4,657.23, Savings: $87,880.95, Term Deposits: $228,487.50 and $357,000.00, Equity Shares: $1,000.00. The total excluding chequing is: $674,367.73
There have been no increases in water toll’s or taxes for the fourth consecutive year; however next year the Water Board anticipates an inflationary cost increase. Direction from the Hagensborg Water Users at the AGM June 2, 2009 was to remain focused on implementation of a treatment system and not replacement of aging infrastructure. This has resulted in increasing maintenance costs and repairs to an aging infrastructure.
The above information will set the context for community discussions this coming year where further community meetings will be undertaken to provide direction to the Hagensborg Water Board regarding implementation of a treatment system, water mainline replacement and our response to the province regarding Hagensborg being a low risk.