Kamloops rate payers should — if all goes to plan — no longer have to worry about additional costs from the Noble Creek Irrigation System in the next couple of weeks.
With the City this week issuing its official Notice of Disposition to sell the system to the recently-formed Noble Creek Irrigation Society, Utilities Services Manager Greg Wightman says they expect the sale to close on May 8th.
“If no other party comes forward with an interest in purchasing those assets, then we’re able to execute a sale to the Noble Creek Irrigation Society for a cost of $5,” Wightman told the NL Noon Report. “That does give the opportunity for that group out there to hopefully have some water by as early as May, first or second week of May, if goes well here.”
This means the City of Kamloops would no longer have any financial stake in the system.
Wightman does say the City will be giving the Society users a bit of help this growing season.
“We’re working on an agreement with the Society where they would be able to pump water under the City’s existing Noble Creek License for 2024,” said Wightman.
Rather than pay for continual up-keep, the City decided to pay out $3.2 million in total decommissioning costs to the 41 users of the System last year.
That money can now be used to purchase their own pumping systems to keep their land irrigated.
Users making their own decisions
“I think the asset itself has many, many years left in it,” said Thistle Farm owner Dieter Dudy in conversation with Radio NL following word the sale process had begun. “There are things that need to be changed on it, but we can do that over time.”
Dudy is one the members of the Noble Creek Irrigation Society, which he says boasts around 16 of the original 41 users of the Noble Creek Irrigation System.
While those members of the Society will be able to use the existing Noble Creek infrastructure, Dudy says others are charting their own irrigation path.
“There’s the properties across the road from me that are fairly large properties that have decided to go out on their own,” said Dudy. “Three of the farms out there are joining up [together] to draw water from the North Thompson. They’ve been given the go-ahead from the province to do so.”
Dudy says other former users may just end up using what the City can provide.
“I think what you’ll find is the smaller properties, the ones that are up to 2 acres, they’re not really in the business of farming. They’ll likely just use domestic water supply that they get anyhow to water their lawns or gardens.”
However, Utility Services Manager Greg Wightman does caution that large-scale use of water supplies from the City is not going to be an option for the properties in Westsyde, should their irrigation systems break down.
“It was something we looked at and did present that option to council. There’s significant upgrades required to the potable water system in order to provide the amount of water that’s required by these customers for their agricultural purposes,” warned Wightman.