Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 new integrated water supply plan is off to a successful financial start.

After the federal government announced Friday it will contribute $49.9 million to improve the South East Kelowna Irrigation System害羞草研究所檚 water distribution system, it was all smiles at Kelowna city hall Monday.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所� been a long road but that was a historic announcement for the community,害羞草研究所� said Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran following council害羞草研究所檚 regular weekly meeting.

The money will pay for a new distribution system to provide water from Okanagan Lake for exiting SEKID domestic customer. It will also continue to provide agricultural customers with water from Hydraulic Creek.

As part of the integrated water supply plan, SEKID will join the city害羞草研究所檚 water system. It will be the first major local irrigation system to do so, a move required as a condition of getting the money,which comes from Ottawa but is administered through the province.

The three other major local irrigation systems that provide water to Kelowna homes and businesses and agricultural producers害羞草研究所擥lenmore-Ellison, Rutland and Black Mountain have not joined the new water supply planplan and will continue to be independent, separate suppliers in the city.

Basran has made no secret of the fact he feels there should be just one water provider for the entire city and the existing distribution systems should be integrated. The province害羞草研究所檚 public support for the new plan indicates it agrees.

On Friday, it was announced the new SEKID distribution system will allow the other irrigation systems to connect at a later date if they agree to come join the plan and also become part of the city害羞草研究所檚 system.

The new funding for SEKID will provide treated drinking water for South East Kelowna residents and w=hat ws described as a 害羞草研究所減lentiful害羞草研究所� supply of agricultural irrigation water in the the South Mission.

The total cost for the the SEKID work害羞草研究所攑hase one of the water supply plan害羞草研究所� is $61.3 million. There will be a combined local contribution of $17.4 million, representing 28 per cent of total project cost.

害羞草研究所淔unding of this magnitude is something we rarely see害羞草研究所攊n fact, this is the largest single grant anyone at the city can remember receiving,害羞草研究所� said Basran.

He added the piping to be installed will not be 害羞草研究所渢hrow away害羞草研究所� costs, despite the plan害羞草研究所檚 call for all domestic water for Kelowna in future to come from Mission Creek primarily, with the Okanagan Lake as a back-up supply.

He said the piping will allow for water from either the lake or Mission Creek to flow throw, depending on the source required at the time.

In making the funding announcement, it was also revealed a transition plan害羞草研究所攁 requirement of the provincial government and the grant application害羞草研究所攊s now underway to map out the process for SEKID and the City of Kelowna to work together on phase 1 of the plan. Pending the timely completion of a successful transition agreement, treated drinking water is anticipated to be delivered to the majority of SEKID ratepayers by the end of 2019, or earlier if possible, with a target completion date to all SEKID customers by 2020. In addition to the significant direct cost savings to ratepayers, the project would also be completed 10 years faster than without government funding, said the city. Work to service the smaller South Okanagan Mission Irrigation District害羞草研究所攁lso part of the plan害羞草研究所攊s also expected to be completed by 2019.

害羞草研究所淭he plan achieves more than just good water quality. It will also achieve rate equity, a more resilient and robust system and maintains the interest of our agricultural community,害羞草研究所� said project manager Ron Westlake.

The grant announcement will allow for the initial phase of the long-term integration plan to be implemented and set the groundwork for future integration. Phase one includes the separation of agricultural and domestic systems in SEKID; in the short-term domestic water will be supplied through a new transmission line connecting to the City of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 water distribution system from Okanagan Lake. Agricultural water will continue to be supplied from Hydraulic Creek with emergency connections to the domestic supply in the event of service disruption. Phase one will also see a sustainable agricultural water supply delivered to SOMID, along with upgrades to the City of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 water utility to supply both SEKID and SOMID and accommodate future growth.

Work on phase one of the plan will also help dictate future phases. And they will, in part, will also be influenced by whether the other other irrigation districts join. On Monday, Basran said there are currently no negotiations ongoing to try and bring the other irrigation districts into the plan. But he said the city is open to talks.

害羞草研究所淭his plan will eventually ensure all our citizens have clean drinking water at equitable rates, while our domestic and agricultural needs are met with an integrated system that has the flexibility to draw water from a number of options to meet demand,害羞草研究所� said Mayor Basran.