Dear editor,
Our Area B director Rod Nichol tried to have the tier system removed from our water bills.
Why?
Because the basic monthly rate rural residents are charged covers not only the cost of water, but also the maintenance costs of the system and leaves a reasonable amount for emergencies.
Mr. Nichol tried, but was shot down by Edwin Grieve and Bruce Jolliffe.
We should be asking those two individuals why they shot down this proposal. The rural water system with its present rate structure is just another cash cow for the regional district under the guise of an incentive to save water.
We do not have a shortage of water and have never had a shortage of water. Rural residents are being punished every time we water a flower bed, grow a vegetable garden, yes even when we wash our cars. And heaven forbid we actually have a patch of green grass to sit on on a hot day.
I believe that everyone in rural Comox Valley with a water meter should be phoning Grieve and Joliffe and asking them why they are being so unfair to the very people they supposedly represent.
And while you are making that call think about your neighbours in Courtenay and Comox who water at will, use as much water as they want, and still pay a flat rate. You might also want to remember that it was these two directors along with the previous Area B director that got you into this mess to begin with, by not giving rural residents the right to choose whether to have meters or not.
Make those calls, complain to both these people. Complain also to the regional district water wizard [general manager of engineering services] Marc Rutten, who set these rates and who is also partially responsible for this travesty. Please do your part and help make this right.
R McCulloch
Area B