Jun 25, 2026, 4:00 pm at the Legion

Present:

• VAID Trustees Ron Smith, Jane Waterman, Jennifer Moore, and John Colongard
• VAID Employees Joseph Scott (Project Manager) and Sandra Haszard (Administrator)
• 7 community members

Ron welcomed everyone and reminded the group that the grant covers all project costs. Installs are nearly complete and the project is proceeding well.

Several benefits this project has already delivered:

• All connections are now identified — previously about one‑third were unknown.
• Two steel pipes we didn’t know were still in use were located and documented.
• Some leaks have been identified. Of the meters online so far, four major private‑property leaks were found. After owners were notified, total metered consumption dropped by more than half.
• Repairing leaks will reduce treatment costs — salt, chlorine, resin, UV parts, power, and labour.

2027 will be a mock‑billing year. Rates and billing structure are still under discussion. The existing rate model will change from paying for a set volume (with extra charges for exceeding it) to paying for actual metered use.

After the project is complete, owners will pay for the meter in new connections.

Once installed, meters must be activated with a special tool. After activation, details are sent to Neptune to add the meter to the system. Currently, 105 meters are fully online, another 100 are expected online next week, and the remainder by August.

A slide show was presented with anonymized screenshots from the admin system to show how this information can be used to monitor and manage water use.

JS showed the setter, meter, and antenna. The antennas are designed to withstand being driven over, but not to be placed in the middle of the road where heavier traffic occurs.

If vandalism occurs, VAID receives an alert from the software system that detects damage.

A short video was played showing how customers access their data: https://neptunetg.wistia.com/medias/v8ys7iylct

Admin receives leak notifications daily and will alert customers to any new leaks.

SH spoke about billing – more details are in the VAID Meter Project – Report for Community Update Jun 2026

Billing – Key Points

• Rates cannot be set yet — we still need full meter data to know total use, leakage, private vs. system leaks, and the first‑year metered budget. “Until all meters are installed and producing steady data, we cannot calculate the base rate or the consumption rate.”
• Old Tolls & Taxes rates do not apply to metered billing.
• Parcel Tax remains unchanged and is not tied to water use.
• Meters already show major leaks and have reduced communitywide use significantly.
• We need all meters online before we can measure system leakage vs. private leakage — essential for a fair rate model.
• Mock billing will run through 2027; real metered billing begins 2028. Mock bills show hypothetical charges only — no payment required.
• Experts recommend a simple two‑part bill (fixed + consumption) and waiting on tiered rates until a full year of stable data is available.
• Billing frequency options: quarterly, annual, or hybrid. Frequency does not affect leak detection.
• No decisions on rates or billing frequency will be made until meters are fully online, leakage is known, the metered‑year budget is set, and mock billing is complete.

A community member mentioned that several people have comments or concerns but prefer not to attend meetings or reach out directly. If this sounds like you, please get in touch. Your input matters, and we want to hear from you!

Community Meeting: June 25, 2026 – 4:00 PM, Royal Canadian Legion, Van Anda

The Van Anda Improvement District (VAID) is holding a community meeting on June 25 at 4:00 PM at the Legion to provide an update on the Meter Project, future billing options, and how residents will access their personal water use data. This report summarizes the information that will be presented and is being shared in advance so residents can review the key points.

Download the report

The Minutes of the 2026 AGM, along with all reports presented at the meeting, are now available for review.

AGM 2026 Draft Minutes with Reports

Texada Volunteer Firefighters Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Committee Report

Members of the community are encouraged to review the materials.
For inquiries or clarification, please contact the VAID office.

This is your opportunity to hear updates on VAID operations, water system projects, and financial results for 2025.

• Agenda
• Minutes AGM Apr 26 2025
• Draft Financial Statements
• Trustee Candidate Package

If you believe changes are needed or want to understand how decisions are made, come to the AGM. Your voice matters.

This year, two Trustee positions are open for election.
If you — or someone you know — would like to help guide the future of our water system and community resources, we encourage you to step forward.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Coffee, tea, and dessert will be provided.

Proposals for Site Works and Meter & Software Supply have been awarded, and site work is underway.

Project information is available on the following pages:

• Meter Pilot Project
• Universal Metering FAQ
• Metering Concerns answered.
• Community Meeting notes from May 22.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns by email to contact@vananda-id.ca or phoning the office at 604-486-7035.

See BC Govt News for more details.

We have scheduled a community meeting for 7 pm on Thursday May 22 at the Legion in order to provide details of the grant and project.

VAID would like to thank and credit Sandra Haszard for spearheading this initiative.

See more information on our page about the Meter Pilot Project.

Congratulations to Gary Friars for accepting a 2-year term as Trustee and to Ron Smith for continuing with another 3-year term.

Thank you retiring Trustee Philip Tidd for your contributions.

Here are the draft minutes including reports presented.

Next regular meeting is scheduled for May 14, 1.30 upstairs at the Firehall.

9.30 am at the Legion in Van Anda, Saturday April 26 2025.

Agenda (updated Apr 23)

Draft Minutes from 2024 AGM

Trustee Candidate Package

Fire Report

Water Report

All are welcome and encouraged to attend.