City council voted Tuesday to put water meters in every home in Kamloops by a vote of seven to two,

Mayor Peter Milobar called it the most definitive vote by council on the decades-old controversial issue.

City utilities director David Duckworth mapped out how the $14.2-million estimated to install radio-frequency meters could be covered by $3.55 million from the water utility operating reserve and $10.65 million in gas-tax funds.

That means no loans or increases to the water utility to put in the meters. And it means future infrastructure required in some growing parts of the city will be funded solely from development cost charges.

Meters will be installed over three years, starting with downtown, Valleyview, Juniper, Barnhartvale and Dallas by Jan. 1, 2012. The next year would see Sahali, Aberdeen Dufferin and Pineview hooked up and the North Shore, Brocklehurst and Westsyde would come on in 2014.

Duckworth said by beginning with Valleyview, the City avoids spending millions to upgrade the water-main trunk there.

“We know meters will result in the most cost recovery,” he said.

All of council backed Duckworth’s plan except Pat Wallace and Denis Walsh.

Wallace, who has been through the meter debate several times in her years on council, felt compelled to abide by the 2003 referendum in which a majority of citizens voted against the devices.

“I feel duty bound to respect it,” she said.

However, she did note there were no bad feelings on council, even though the vote wasn’t unanimous. And she was glad the cost would come from the gas tax fund, not additional charges to the water utility.

Walsh put forward a motion to defer a decision for three weeks so that more feedback and clarification could be obtained.

Milobar disagreed, noting information about water meters has been around for years. The details provided by City staff were based on extensive research, he said.

In the end, Walsh did not get a seconder for his motion.

Coun. Tina Lange, who has always supported meters, told Duckworth his plan was “brilliant.”

It allots a base amount of 500 litres per household per day from October to March, and 1,000 litres from April to September. For that amount, everyone pays $256.40 per year and a fixed base consumption charge of $144.59.

Anyone who uses more than those allotments pays a metered rate of 65 cents to $1 per 1,000 litres.

Billing will be done quarterly so residents can monitor their water use.

Duckworth said 60 per cent of homeowners are expected to pay $577.20 or less a year for their water — that’s as much or less than they pay now on the flat-rate system.

The City will need to add 1.7 staff for the first couple of years, mostly to deal with the billing. Because the City is opting for radio-frequency meters, they can all be read by two people in two days.

But meters will save the City in chlorination chemicals, hydro for pumping and extra treatment costs. The net result of expenses versus savings is an annual cost of $30,000.

In the past few years, the City’s water system has been getting perilously close to being fully taxed on hot, dry summer days. The system has a maximum capacity of 160 million litres a day; it has been tapped for up to 154 million litres.

Meters are expected to reduce water consumption by at least 20 per cent — a conservative estimate based on water-meter experiences in Penticton, Vernon and Kelowna.

Peak summer use in Kamloops is 1,600 litres per day, compared with 1,200 in Penticton, 1,300 in Kelowna and 1,250 in Vernon.

Without meters causing a reduction in water use, Kamloops taxpayers face up to $24 million in infrastructure upgrades in the coming years.

Duckworth said the water system won’t have to be expanded until 2023 if consumption drops. Otherwise, that expansion would be needed by 2012.

Coun. John O’Fee said meters are the best use of taxpayers’ money.

“People in Kamloops water their lawns too much,” he said.

“If we reduce water consumption, we defer infrastructure — some of it indefinitely.”

Most Canadians get their water from publicly owned metered water systems, he added.

“We’re the exception, not the rule.”

Milobar said in the last 11 years meters that council has discussed water meters, the numbers haven’t changed.

“Water meters keep coming back because they can make a difference,” he said.

Without meters, every household in Kamloops would face a hike to their water bill of $60 to $70 in 2012 because the treatment plant would require expansion, he said.

“I don’t see how that is fair.”

After council voted and word hit the streets that meters were going ahead, Milobar received an email. It said: “Congratulations from one of the silent majority.”