3:20pm: Customers on 1st St between the Harbour and Andy Anderson’s place may experience a brief reduction in pressure as we carry out a repair to a customer’s connection. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Sointula Waterworks is proud to announce we have hired Darryl Luscombe for Administration. Welcome back Darryl.

Sointula Waterworks Administrator

Job Opportunity

The Sointula Waterworks District is looking for an Office Administrator to fill a regular part-time position, with an average of 20 hours per week. This is a permanent position that combines office management with financial/bookkeeping responsibilities and requires someone with excellent organizational skills who can handle a variety of tasks and prioritize as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update internal databases, both computer-based records and paper files

• Liaise with ratepayers, government bodies, vendors, external contractors

• Manage ratepayer accounts: billing, processing payments, collection activities

• Attend meetings, take notes and produce accurate written minutes

• Organize all aspects of the annual general meeting

• Manage and direct contractor activities via work orders

• Additional activities such as the preparation of budgets, briefing information for the trustees, preparation of by-laws, paying bills, banking, website maintenance, CRA returns and prepare documents for the annual financial audit

Qualifications

• Experience using word processing and spreadsheet software

• Experience using a computer-based bookkeeping/accounting program, preferably Sage 50 Professional (formerly known as Simply Accounting)

• Experience using Geographic Information System software (QGIS) would be also considered an asset

• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written

• A professional work ethic: reliable, discreet, self-directed

If you think you might be the right person for this position, please submit your resume as follows:

By mail Sointula Waterworks District, Box 1, Sointula, BC, V0N 3E0

By email sointula_water@yahoo.ca

In person Deliver your resume to the Sointula Waterworks District Office on Tuesdays between 10am and 2pm.

For more information, contact Beverley Knox at 250-973-2308

Closing Date: April 20, 2021 (Tuesday) 5pm

2020 SWD Emergency Plan Guide

Sointula Waterworks District

2020 AGM Chair Report

Welcome to your Sointula Waterworks District AGM

In 2019, your Waterworks District Board, consisted of Heather Orr (chair), Vern Aro, Ross Weaver, Virginia Goodwin, Ken Egan, Beverley Knox (office) and John Brunet (maintenance).

Water: We had 6 new or replaced curb stop shut off valve, 4 repairs, 2 new services in the district.

VIHA’s yearly inspection has several recommendations which are being implemented, one being a Cross Connection Control System.

SWD water test deliveries continue to be challenging, we have had and continue to have deliveries of our water test taken over to Port McNeill by local people. We would like to thank them for their time.

SWD had a water test that came back with a Coliform count, no water advisory needed. Re-tested, test result returned in safe range. This negative water test could have been due to an upside down tap, this tap has been corrected along with a better way of disinfecting the testing area.

Office: The SWD administrator Beverley has completed the Advance Accounting course. We purchased a large amount of ink cartridges and saved $140.00. Ordered current maps from RDMW for plumbing details.

The SWD has completed the SWD auditors recommendation for a tracking inventory.

SWD administer and maintenance personal have tweaked the inventory tracking and ordering of inventory. While doing this they have come across several obsolete pipe items, which will be depreciated and recycled.

SWD Maintenance John Brunet has completed the required course to service the SWD Water System.

Wells: Well #4 continues doing a great job supplying water to the system. In the future Well #3 will have a 15 HP V.F.D. motor replacing the present motor. Well #3 is used as a back up, when needed.

SWD pays $306.00 for each well test, the wells get tested yearly.

The SWD system has 4 wells, These wells are not Artesian fed (as I mentioned in last chair report) Correction is: These wells are recharged by Rain Water Aquaphor.

Hydrants: A Hydrant was donated by a ratepayer and will be installed on the 15th Ave extension, and now that Well #4 is up and running we will continue installing additional hydrants, keeping in mind the best coverage to business and homes.

Tolls and Parcel Tax By-Law: Each year we have to submit our By- Laws for Taxation. This year we have again looked at our financial expenses for the year 2020. We have new expenses along with increased costs, we have raised Tolls and Taxes across the board 10%.

This year SWD has purchased Ron Minshull’s van for parts for the SWD work vehicle.

Also a Weed Eater along with Safety gear to remain in the SWD work vehicle to access when required.

Projects: With Well #4 is up and running. We are deep into the project which was put on hold. This project is to clean up the 2″ lines that run through ratepayers properties. This area is up 11th Ave. across 3rd St. and down 12th Ave. In completing this project SWD will have a loop in the system which works well into the request of VIHA’s inspection recommendation to upgrade. The Engineering drawings are back, their bill is paid, next is to order the supplies required and install. Placing these pipes in the ground will be the cost to the SWD.

Another project underway, and is ready to dig when pipe supplies arrive, is a new water line extension for property owners in the Sointula Waterworks District. This project is called the15th Ave. line extension, with a little cost to the SWD we will continue this line to create a loop. Loops eliminate any dead ends and continue water flow through the system.

Subdivisions: Requirements to subdivide property in the SWD boundaries are as is: Every new lot created, needs a new water service. In addition, all subdivision applications have a fee of $550.00 for initial application and $3700.00 (subdivision development fee) per lot to be paid before water service installation commences. Along with this cost, if there is no existing water line going past the subdivided lot(s) there is an extra cost of engineering, pipes and labour. SWD board has agreed that this is a cash up front transaction with no available payment plan option.

Cross Contamination: Cross Contamination is a very hot topic with VIHA and will continue to be in the future. SWD has been addressed by Vancouver Island Health Authority to protect the SWD drinking water system from potential contamination, by eliminating all cross connections.

Direct water lines into resident houses and commercial businesses require a back flow preventer. This back-flow preventer will only allow water to flow in the desired direction and physically impedes reverse flow.

Motion: SWD recommends ratepayers to install check valves on each individual service as advised by VIHA. Upon installing check valves, then notify administration of installation. SWD requests this to be completed by Dec. 15, 2020.

Moved: Ken Egan, Second: Virginia Goodwin, Vote: MSC Sept. 10 2019

As of end of Dec. 2019, we have 86 check valves installed. Thank you to those who have installed their check valves.

SWD posted notices for ratepayers to install check valves on their buildings, using the word “Urgent”. We decided to use this word so people wouldn’t toss this notice aside and forget about doing it. Putting check valves into your building is very important and when doing so, you find you don’t have a shut off tap on the plumbing pipe that enters your building, this would be the ideal time to put one on, without one, a pipe could break in your building and flood it, you would then need to call SWD to shut the water off at the curb stop, and not every property owner knows where it is. It is up to the property owner to know where their curb stop is.

SWD has finalized and received the SWD By-Law No. 106

Cross Connection Control

Extras: As media expresses “Call before you dig” also applies to the SWD. We have our water system pipes buried along the road sides. In sharing this with you, no one is to connect their water line to the SWD water system, or connect to the SWD water system if they are not in the Sointula Waterworks District’s boundary. This is illegal and creates a big chance of cross contamination. If you require a water hook-up please come into the office.

Reminder to all SWD ratepayers to shut off all taps that are connected to hoses, weather to yard work, mobile home or a boat in the breakwaters, leaving these taps open will cause a high risk of cross contamination to the SWD drinking water.

If anyone notices water on surfaces or areas where water is questionable within the Sointula Water District, please phone John Brunet or the SWD office. We are always on the watch for leaks/ breaks in the system.

We have filled the position of back-up maintenance worker. Matt Preston is in training. Welcome to the team Matt. This is an on call position. John Huston is filling in where needed. We thank him for helping us out.

EOCP/VIHA training facility has sent new requirements: Small Water System Classification expires every 2 years.

If any SWD ratepayers have a B+B, Air B+B, room rental(s) in their dwellings or on their properties, please notify the SWD office if you haven’t already.

As another requirement of the SWD Board we are to implement is a “5 Year Plan”. We have been compiling a list of replacements, repairs, and up grades, from pipes to electronics and then some. This list is long with being prioritized to which are important. Good news is that some of these items have been or are in the process of being done. The list we compiled has some very expensive projects.

One of the important items on the list is the replacement of the 4″ line to 6″ line, These lines are nearing their life expediency, and should not be ignored. SWD is owned and operated by the Sointula ratepayers. When a big project requires to be done. The monies need to come from the SWD ratepayers as they have in the past. When the SWD Board nears this project, we will be in touch with you, the ratepayers, for approval both on the project and proposed method used to finance.

SWD Bank Account descriptions:

Chequing 1060 (Operations) Used for expenses.

HISA 1 (Contingency) Used for supplying water in an emergency, should have at least 200,000.00 balance.

HISA 2 (Construction Deposits) Customer deposit monies held for new service connections.

HISA 3 (Depreciation) Depreciation from aging pipes, wells and equipment monies deposited here. We have closed this account since

HISA 4 (Capital Renewal Reserve) Used toward repairing and replacing old system.

It is of the utmost importance that the SWD ratepayer pay their tolls and taxes each year. These monies are needed to maintain and up grade your SWD water system. If tolls and taxes are not paid for 2 years, your property will be sold for the amount owing through a Tax Sale

On December 14, 1965 the Provincial Government incorporated the Sointula Waterworks District. The SWD water system was formed after some of the local fishermen put money forward to obtain a supply of water, and develop Sointula Water Works. That worked for several years with the debt slowly being paid down. We were always in the red. Later in date, the wood stave water tank needed replacing, requiring 70.000.00. A special meeting was called with the members of the district. The meeting didn’t last long, everyone agreed to cover the cost of the water tank. The next year they moved into the black. It’s the one community infrastructure that was developed and built by the members of the water district, debt free, paid for and in the black. (Ron Minshull)

On behalf of the SWD Board, we would like to thank Beverley Knox for all her hard work and dedication to working through the piles of office work.

To John Brunet, for all the extra projects that required completion, getting up at all hours of the night to ensure we have water, as well as keeping our great water flowing.

A big thank you to Dee Cameron, SWD Financial Auditor, who keeps us on track.

To Art Swanson and Earl Laughlin for the delicate machine work and expertise in working and their knowledge of SWD’s system.

Thank you to all who helped on the side lines, and those who helped at our SWD AGM

Thank you all for coming out to your SWD AGM

Heather Orr/Chair

Correction on the Check Valve information.

A “Pressure Release Valve” or a “Recirculating Pump” does not have a back-flow prevention devise (check valve) included.

These two products do not satisfy VIHA’s request. Please install a CAN-CSA standard approved check valve to your plumbing between your water service and all your connections inside or outside home.

 

Thank you

Sointula Waterworks District

Sointula Waterworks District

July 15, 2019

To our Ratepayers,

Sointula Waterworks District is inspected yearly by Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA). During our 2018 inspection VIHA informed us we need to put in place a “Cross Contamination Control system” (CCC) or VIHA will be forced to Chlorinate Sointula’s Water system.

It is simple to put in a CCC system in place. We are asking our rate payers to install (if they don’t already have one) a back-flow prevention devise (CSA approved “Check Valve”) on your household water system and let us know that you have done this. BC Construction code says it is mandatory on new construction so, if your home is new you probably have one but still let us know.

We have a few local plumbers who can help those who don’t have the skills to do this.

All it takes to contaminate the water system is putting a garden hose in a child’s pool or an animal watering container, leaving it running, meanwhile, simultaneously, we have a water leak elsewhere causing suction in the system. This will draw the contaminated water into our system.

Because of past fatal incidences of contaminated water system’s (Walkerton), VIHA is monitoring every small water system to make sure all people are protected from these contaminants. If we show we are doing our do-diligence, we can avoid chlorinating our water system.

But We need your help.

It is very expensive to chlorinate and it will drastically raise our water tolls.

We have many good things going for us as a water district to not be chlorinated. We flush our pipes twice a week. We are required to test our system monthly but we do it twice monthly at several locations to be safe, and test all three wells monthly. We are replacing old services with new and better materials and adding as much new pipe as we can afford. So, once we have a cross contamination control system in place it will better support our case to not be Chlorinated.

Please help us achieve this goal. Come into the office, email or call letting us know you have a “Check Valve” on your system or that you just installed one.

At the next 2021 VIHA inspection, we can proudly say we don’t need chlorination because every home is protected by a cross contamination control system.

 

Thank you

Sointula Waterworks District

270-973 2308

sointula_water@yahoo.ca