Who’s got the lowest water and sewer rates in Thompson-Okanagan?

KELOWNA – With almost the lowest water and sewer rates in the Thompson-Okanagan, Kelowna customers are facing fee increases over the next two years.

A report going to Kelowna city council on Monday, April 1, shows a bar chart where Thompson-Okanagan rates are compared, along with some rates from other B.C. cities.

A single family home serviced by the City of Kelowna water system pays about $46 per month for water, which is about the same as West Kelowna and lower than all other cities on the chart. The city provides water for more than half of Kelowna residents.

Staff are recommending a four per cent rate increase this year in Kelowna and another four per cent next year in order to cover future improvements and maintenances.

Next in cost is Kamloops at about $51, Penticton at around $63 and Vernon at approximately $76.

The City of Kelowna provides more than half of Kelowna residents. Most of the rest get their water from three large irrigation district.

Residents in Kelowna's Rutland neighbourhood get the best deal of anyone on the chart at about $39, followed by the Black Mountain neighbourhood at about $47 and the Glenmore-Ellison area at about $57. The South-East Kelowna Irrigation District, which was recently absorbed by the City, tops the chart at about $92.

At the other end of the pipe, Kelowna has the lowest sewage rates at just over $20 per month. City staff are proposing three per cent annual increases.

Again West Kelowna is on par at about $1 per month more, while Penticton is at about $26, Kamloops at $40 and Vernon slightly over $40.

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