Silver Star Water Utility

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) manages the Silver Star Water Utility (SSW) in Electoral Area “C”. The Silver Star Mountain community obtains its water from a series of wells and two surface sources. The water treatment plant commissioned in 2012 provides both ultraviolet and chlorine disinfection, and the system serves approximately 800 customers.

Water rates are set by the RDNO Board of Directors, which includes political representatives from the municipalities they serve. Rates are based on the actual cost to provide water. SSW does not receive any taxation money and the only outside source of income are grant funds that the utility seeks out to assist in reducing costs to customers.

Properties within the SSW system are metered and are invoiced annually for water. The invoice period runs from January 1 - December 31 with bills going out in May (consumption is measured April 1 - April 30). A discount of 10% will be applied to the RDNO account if paid on or before the due date.

The water rates for the SSW system can be found on Schedule E of the Small Utilities Rates and Regulations Bylaw.

Billing Information

Water & Sewer Utility Billing

How to Pay Your Utility Bill

As a regional utility, SSW legally cannot make a profit on services. A deficit is also not allowed and each year’s annual expenses (see example list below) must be recovered directly from user fees during that year or be funded from reserves.

Expected annual expenses
- Operations
- Maintenance
- debt payments
- construction, and
- reserve contributions
All parcels with a service connection pay an Infrastructure Base Fee independent of whether the parcel is connected to the water utility or not.

A consumption fee is charged for water consumption for each residential unit and/or commercial unit (in addition to the Infrastructure Base Fee). Once a property has been connected to the water utility infrastructure, the consumption fee will always be charged to that property. It will not be adjusted seasonally.

How do I change my mailing address?

Notify BC Assessment directly to change your mailing address so that future utility bills, property tax notices and BC Assessment notices are mailed to your new address.

The RDNO receives weekly notification of address changes. BC Assessment Change of Address Notification can be completed the following ways:
- go to their website at "update your property information"
- call 1-866-825-8322
- forward via mail to: 300-1631 Dickson Avenue, Kelowna BC V1Y 8H2.
You will need your property roll number and assessment and jurisdiction area numbers in order to make the address change.

What if property ownership changes?

Utility invoices follow the property, not the owner. The RDNO does not get final meter reads (if a meter is installed) or create final bills when a property changes hands. The law firm or notary that is conveying the sale must contact the RDNO Finance department for an estimate of the amount owing and adjust for this amount on your statement of adjustments.

Note that the charges remain with the property when it is transferred and the new owner becomes responsible for these payments. The RDNO cannot make adjustments between owners if the actual amount of the final bill is different from the estimate.

I just bought a property in the Regional District and the first utility bill I received shows arrears from before I bought the property. Who is responsible for paying these arrears?

It is the responsibility of the lawyer or notary handling the transfer of ownership to ensure that a search is done through the RDNO to determine if there are any outstanding utility charges on a property and include those charges on the statement of adjustments. This is required to be sure that there are no outstanding debts or encumbrances attached to the property upon transfer of ownership.
To ensure water remains clean and uncontaminated, the RDNO has a Cross Connection Control Program. Certain services at higher risk of introducing contaminates into the water system must install cross connection prevention devices as per the Regional District of North Okanagan Cross Connection Control Regulation Bylaw No. 2651, 2014. These devices prevent contaminates from flowing backward, in the rare but possible instances of reverse flow into the community water supply.
- Cross Connection Control Regulation – Bylaw No. 2651, 2014
- Community Structure Protection Plan - Electoral Area "C" Fire Protection Area
- Development and Service Connection Information
- Initial Phases in the Development of a Groundwater Protection Plan, April 2008
- Monthly water quality reports and source water data
- Newsletters:
  
  2023
  
  2022
  
  2021
- Silver Star Mountain Water System Vance Creek Reservoir and Well 13 Disinfection Effectiveness Assessment, July 2008
- Silver Star Water Utility - 2019 Annual Report
- Source Water Assessment and Groundwater Protection Plan Final Report, August 2011 (58.8MB)
- SSW Strategic Water Plan Update, October 2011 (75.2 MB)
- SSW Water Treatment Study, July 2007
SSW follows the Interior Health Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community.

Monthly water quality reports and source water data are published to ensure transparency.

Residents can sign up for email notifications to follow water source changes or supply interruptions (planned or emergency).
New developments requiring water servicing from SSW must follow the following standards:
SSW's metering program requires water meters on all services. Please see the Small Utilities Rates and Regulations Bylaw No. 2867, 2021 under Bylaws in this section.

Billing Information
Water & Sewer Utility Billing
How to Pay Your Utility Bill

Contact(s)

Silver Star Water Utility

utilities@rdno.ca

2505503700