Carr's Landing Water Servicing Strategy

View the September 5, 2024 Letter from the Mayor to Carr's Landing property owners

Watch the 4 minute video to better understand the project

The Carr’s Landing Water Servicing Strategy is a Council initiative that considers extending the public water system into specific areas of Carr’s Landing. The following water systems are included in the servicing strategy:

• Moberly Water Society;
• Coral Beach Water System;
• Barkley Water Works Association;
• Eastside Utilities; and
• Private water systems near the study areas (individual wells or lake intakes).

The project study area includes approximately 360 parcels (refer to the map).

What are the issues?

• Water infrastructure throughout Carr’s Landing does not meet adequate fire protection standards, leaving the community vulnerable to wildfires.
• Water systems do not comply with Interior Health Authority (IHA) water quality standards.
• Much of the water infrastructure is aging and near the end of its useful life.
• Water intakes are highly susceptible to invasive zebra and quagga mussels, which would result in significant challenges in maintaining water intakes.
• Lack of water availability in Carr’s Landing has made it challenging for property subdivision, and in some areas even minor renovations.

Council has made addressing these issues a top priority.

What is the solution?

Part of the 2023 Water Master Plan included an analysis of options for servicing the area. It was determined that extending the public water system would be the most economical option.

• This solution does not require building any additional reservoirs, lake intakes, or pump stations.
• This solution can provide adequate residential fire flows and meet daily water needs for residential needs.

Not all properties in the Carr’s Landing area were found to be economically feasible to service at this time and have been excluded from the study area (refer to the map). Most notably, this includes the higher elevation properties on higher elevations on Commonage Road and properties near the Charolaise Drive area.

What are the project costs and who will pay for these improvements?

Extending the public water system is currently projected to cost between $20 - $25 million, which works out to approximately $55,000 - $70,000 per property when divided equally amongst the parcels (dollar amounts do not include borrowing cost).

Project costs include:

• 12 km of new watermains installed;
• Multiple new pressure regulating and re-chlorination stations;
• Capacity increases and backup power improvements at an existing pumping station; and
• Water meters for unmetered properties.

District staff and Council have been, and continue to seek, senior government support to help fund the project. Any costs to the District are expected to be covered by the benefiting properties through a Local Service Area (LSA) process.

FACT: The Local Service Area petition process must be successful for the project to proceed.

What is a Local Service Area (LSA) and how does it fit into the process?

A Local Service Area (LSA) is a financial tool that allows municipalities to recover costs when new infrastructure is constructed that directly benefits a specific group of properties. For an LSA to be successful, there is a petition process involving each benefiting property owner. All or a portion of the cost is paid for by local property owners. Property owners can choose to pay their portion upfront or over time as part of their property tax. Properties that opt to pay over time will be subject to interest.

To date, District Council has indicated support for using a Council Initiative - Subject to Petition Against process, with the cost being collected as a parcel tax that divides the cost equally among the benefiting properties.

Learn More - Province of B.C. LSA process information

What’s in it for me?

If residents support the project - the project will proceed. This expansion will greatly enhance fire suppression capabilities along with providing safe and reliable water service. The expansion will also include capacity for a small amount of growth in the area. Typically supply from a public water source increases property value.

FACT: The new water infrastructure will be sized to only provide residential water service not agricultural.

Where would the water come from?

If the project proceeds, the primary water source would be the Beaver Lake Water Source. Although the Beaver Lake water supply is prone to high colour and turbidity throughout the summer, the District is currently working on constructing a water treatment plant to address these issues.

What if the project does not receive support to proceed?

If the project does not proceed, each water system will need to find it's own solution to address the issues they individually face. Both Eastside Utilities and Coral Beach Water System require significant improvements. A "Go It Alone" solution is expected to be much less feasible than a larger community solution.

What are the timelines?

1. Communicate and engage with Carr's Landing Community - June onward.
2. Community Open House at Carr's Landing Firehall - July 9th from 3pm to 7pm.
3. Community Meeting at Creekside Theatre - Septmeber 11th beginning at 6:30 pm
4. Petition Against Process - Early 2025.