Amendment to the Petition Mission Statement - March 02, 2026.

February 14, 2026

Dear Fellow NSSWD Ratepayers,

This Petition is a follow up of the news article on the Salt Spring Exchange - February 11, 2026, please consider taking the time to read.

The Cost Projections for the Maxwell Lake - Water Treatment Plant seems to be a moving target. So far we’ve had a mea culpa in the local Newspaper stating - “We regret to inform you but there was been a gross error of $1 Million in the costing of the Project”. NSSWD refuses to include the $639,000 Design Engineering Fee in the overall cost of the Project, thereby skewing the numbers to the low side, it’s simply misleading. It’s been decided that the Design Engineer should be the Project Manager as well, at a cost of $925,000. The problem, with a $16.6Mil Budget that is open ended, is there an opportunity for more cost overruns? Not having an Independent Project Manager is a huge Red Flag for most who took the time to respond to the recent Newsletter on the Exchange. Thank you for your input, it prompted the basis and creation of this Petition.

NSSWD is of the opinion that the current Engineering Firm will endeavour to save costs acting as the Project Manager, seriously? Why would they, there is no incentive. This Firm has demonstrated their Business Ethics when they implied all along that their fee would be in the order of $500,000 for Construction Engineering. Project Management was implied but not officially stated in the Motion of January 16, 2026. A Majority of 3 of the 5 Trustees endorsed $925,000 for 14 months worth of work. Total Projected Fee’s from the Engineering Firm at this point are $1,564,000. NSSWD is playing a shell game, moving your tax dollars around. The idea of robbing Peter to Paul doesn’t cut it, it’s your $2Mil that could be spent wisely elsewhere for needed improvements in the Water District. Sadly, it was announced at the January 29, 2026 Meeting that the pending $6 Million Federal Grant was rejected.

Are there options, even though it seems NSSWD is attempting to sign Contracts at break neck speed? Of course there are! This past week when asked, a Professional Engineering Firm with an excellent reputation committed to bidding on an RFP (Request For Proposal) if presented, to Design/Build on a Fix Cost Budget of $14.6 Mil or less for our New Maxwell Lake Treatment Plant. Would there be others, I believe the unequivocal answer is – Yes. Including the current Design Engineering Firm who would have a distinct advantage in the Bidding process.

Here we go! The Petition to the Board of Trustees of the NSSWD is this;

"The 109 Ratepayers (to date - March 2, 2026) - Petition the NSSWD Board of Trustees to hold a Referendum concurrent with the May 2026 AGM - In order to approve the ~$2 Mil cost overrun on the Maxwell Lake Water Treatment Plant or Preferably - “We the Ratepayers of the NSSWD Petition the NSSWD Board of Trustees to place a Public Tender for an RFP (Request For Proposal) to Design/Build the New Maxwell Lake - Water Treatment Plant at a Fixed Cost of $14.6 Million of less. This is in keeping with the Referendum Budget of $14.6 Million passed in May of 2025 by Ratepayers”.

If you have any comments or suggestions on how to mitigate costs - please email dcoutney@nsswaterworks.ca Thank you, Trustee David Courtney - NSSWD

Disclaimer - The above comments are mine alone and do not represent those of the Board of Trustees or Staff of the NSSWD.