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Keremeos irrigation upgrade approved

Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen authorizes up to $100,000 for work
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The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen has approved upgrades to three pumping stations at the Keremeos Irrigation District. (Monique Tamminga - Keremeos Review)

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will spend up to $100,000 to upgrade the electrical system of the pumping stations at the Keremeos Irrigation District to the national standard.

Without the change, FortisBC would be unable to do any major work on the irrigation district’s electrical system due to it using 480 volts instead of the current Canadian standard of 600 volts.

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The irrigation district’s east pump station was installed in 1968 and provides water to the bench area of Keremeos. Recently it has been experiencing significant failures and for changes to be made would require work by Fortis.

The east pump station also provides a backup for the west pump station. The irrigation district provides water to Keremeos and many rural properties in the area.

There had been plans to gradually replace the system’s equipment over several years, but due to the new standard requirement, the irrigation district will have to change all of its equipment at once.

The irrigation district had planned a reserve of funds for the upgrades, however doing them all at once will cost more than what the KID has available at $306,000. The fund was only for $100,000 from the regional district.

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John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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