Kamloops council has voted to rethink how to improve the Noble Creek Irrigation System after opposition from residents.

Council has rescinded its proposal to create a local area service (LAS) and spend $14 million to improve the water system.

Forty-seven property owners in Westsyde would have had to pay 80 per cent of the cost, totalling $11.2 million. The city would’ve paid the other 20 per cent of the cost, through reserve funds, since it draws potable water from that irrigation line.

Cattle rancher Jon Peachey is one of the largest Westsyde property owners who would’ve been affected.

“The proposed LAS would cost me just under $2.6 million dollars. With interest, by my calculation, payment for irrigation water would be approximately $175,000 per year. This translates to $1,400 dollars per acre per year for the next 30 years, which makes my farm completely non-viable.”

Manager of Woodward Cider and Privato Winery, Adam Woodward, says as it stands, water rates for irrigation in Kamloops are comparable with the rest of the Interior.

Woodward says, on average, the rate this year is $84 per acre per year; Kelowna, for example, has just increased rates this year to $120 per acre. But he says the proposed increase would mean rates jumping to $1,100 per acre each year, on average.

“When asked city staff if the users ability to pay was considered, it said it was not. If this goes forward, it will simply put farmers out of business, devalue our land. And how does that benefit the community?”

City staff looked into improving the aging irrigation system because it now operates at a deficit each year. Last year, staff say the deficit was more than $130,000. It paid Urban Systems to do a study on what changes could be made.

Woodward told NL News on Monday property owners would prefer if upgrades could be paid for with grant funding the city could apply for.

Mayor Ken Christian says there are lots of grants available for domestic water projects, and fewer dollars for agricultural water.

If council had decided to forge ahead with the proposal to create an LAS, property owners could’ve still voted down the plan with a counter-petition, which would need signatures from 50 per cent of property owners and 50 per cent of total assessed value of the land affected.

Council will await any further direction from staff on how to proceed.