In another year where tax hikes are the norm, customers of Salt Spring Island’s largest water district can at least expect a smaller-than-planned parcel tax for 2026, as North Salt Spring Waterworks District (NSSWD) trustees last week agreed to play Santa, cutting a planned $100 surcharge in half.
The measure actually spreads the proposed additional charge over two years, according to district financial officer Tammy Lannan, who told district trustees Thursday, Dec. 18 that the possibility presented itself since the project it supports — the Maxwell Lake water treatment plant — has seen some delays due to a number of extension requests and contractor interest. The closing date for the tender was moved from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, which pushed the planned completion date from Jan. 29, 2027 to May 28, 2027.
“We’re going through a review of the tenders,” said NSSWD chief administrative officer Mark Boysen, who confirmed there were ultimately seven bids received. “We should be able to have all the details worked out to have a public discussion soon about the results.”
Boysen said staff had set a tentative date for a special meeting of Thursday, Jan. 8 from noon to 2 p.m. for that purpose. Operations director Ryan Moray said Island Health had issued its construction permit for the project just the previous day, and the archaeological component was submitted to the province for review and pending.
Meanwhile, with the plant’s completion day bumped, Lannan said the district no longer requires the full amount of long-term debt payments in 2026.
“Splitting that $100 up into two years makes sense, because we don’t need those funds now until 2027,” said Lannan. “That gives everybody a little bit of a break.”
Trustees noted while the bylaw as posted on NSSWD’s website still says $100, customers should expect $50 instead.
The new plant is being mandated by Island Health, part of an effort to remove more of the organic matter that reacts with chlorine treatment to create trihalomethanes (THMs), such as chloroform and bromodichloromethane.
While Health Canada has noted the health risks of THMs are far less than those from consuming water that has not been disinfected, they nonetheless have been directing utilities — including NSSWD — to make every effort to keep THMs at the lowest levels possible without compromising the effectiveness of disinfection. The planned dissolved air flotation (DAF) plant at Maxwell Lake is similar to one successfully treating water at St. Mary Lake.