The current Noble Creek Irrigation System in Westsyde (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

NOBLE CREEK

Noble Creek farmers convince City of Kamloops to rethink $14 million irrigation upgrade

Nov 3, 2020 | 5:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops city council is going back to the drawing board in regards to a new irrigation system for close to 50 farmers in Noble Creek.

Farmers who appeared at Tuesday’s (Nov. 3) regular council meeting say the City’s proposed $14 million system — 80 per cent of the cost paid by the farmers — is too expensive and would kill their operations.

“I’m significantly impacted with the cost of this,” said Jon Peachey, who owns a 248-acre farm in the area. “It would be approximately $175,000 per year if current water charges stay the same and the LAS [Local Area Service] is implemented. This translates to $1,400 per acre per year for the next 30 years, which makes my farm completely non-viable.”

Peachey has 248 acres and currently pays $560 per year for stock water for his cows. Two week ago, he and other Noble Creek farmers received a letter outlining the $14 million proposal — $2.8 of which would be paid by Kamloops taxpayers.

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The farmers were facing a situation where they would need signatures of at least half of the 47 users to stop the project from going ahead.

However, a delegation appeared in front of council on Tuesday, pleading with the city to maintain the current system, which, according to a report conducted by Urban Systems, has only leaked six times over the last half century since the City of Kamloops took it over from the province.

“The system only runs five months out of the year, so for seven months out of the year the system doesn’t see the stresses and strains of high pressures, and that’ll signficantly increase the service life of the system,” said Adam Woodward from Woodward Cider Co. “More effort into infrastructure management needs to be done.”

After a presentation, council decided to pull back on the project for now and re-engage with users. Councillors like Bill Sarai spoke about grants from the provincial and federal governments to help.

“Once the [new NDP] government gets sworn in, then maybe we can reach out to the minister in charge and show them our plight with what we’re stuck with,” noted Sarai. “Maybe they can come and give us assistance or steer us in the right direction, so we don’t end up here every six months. I want you guys to succeed. I don’t want a farm to go under for a financial reason.”

The City has stated it loses money every year on the system, paying $250,000 to operate it, yet only recovering 10 per cent of costs from the users. On Tuesday, council appeared to be willing to work with the farmers, establishing a committee.

The users said they would be willing to pay more to the city than the $85 per acre they are billed now — rates that haven’t gone up in 20 years — as long as it means the current system keeps operating.