91原创 Township is reviewing its water system, including how much it charges to households, as it reduces the amount it draws from local wells.

Council voted in favour of the review at its July 24 meeting, with a report from municipal engineering staff outlining a number of upcoming challenges.

The Township has long relied on a blended water system 鈥� much of its water comes from Metro Vancouver and its large reservoirs in the mountains, but a significant portion comes from a system of local, municipal wells.

Over the last year, the Township has moved to shut down some of the wells, including those in Murrayville and in Fort 91原创. There have been issues with water quality from local wells in recent years, with complaints of plumbing corrosion caused by the Fort鈥檚 well water, and for some Brookswood and Murrayville users, discoloured brown or black water.

The report recommends leaving the East 91原创 well water system in place. It serves Gloucester and parts of Aldergrove, and running a new pipe east from the Metro Vancouver system would cost approximately $50 million, plus the costs of decommissioning the Aldergrove Water Treatment Plant.

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Another small, local water system, the Acadia system, serves an area around 242nd Street and 46A Avenue out of two wells. It has the highest operating costs per litre in the Township, and could be connected to the main Township system, saving about $33,000 annually, the report says.

The report also looked at the reservoirs that serve various neighbourhoods. They鈥檙e used to maintain water pressure, and for excess capacity if there was a water main break or a major fire. Most of the reservoirs were built in the 1970s and require upsizing due to population growth.

Structural repairs on the Strawberry reservoir were completed last year, and are in progress at the Aldergrove East, Aldergrove West, and Brookswood East reservoirs. The report suggests that the Willoughby and Murrayville reservoirs could be decommissioned.

Replacing five of the necessary, aging reservoirs, if necessary, would cost more than $70 million.

Finally, Metro Vancouver implemented a two-tier water rate in 2006, with rates higher in the summer. The Township didn鈥檛 pass along the extra costs, because the use of its own water was cheaper, and mitigated the cost. However, with less local groundwater being pumped, staff recommended a full rate review to ensure the water utility is paying for itself.

Council voted unanimously for the staff to begin working on a funding strategy to replace the reservoirs, and to undertake a water rate review before next year鈥檚 municipal budget.