People living at Victoria’s tent city now have running water and soon they’ll have showers.

The water is the latest amenity at the encampment at Victoria’s courthouse – gravel paths, fire extinguishers and rat traps were also recently added.

Tenants say flush toilets and hot showers are being installed within the next few days or weeks – features they call basic human rights.

“It’s not the convenience of having these things, like we’re spoiled. These are just regular necessities of life. We need running water. Everyone needs running water,” Kathryn told CTV News.

She said showers will add comfort and convenience.

“I know a lot of people don’t want us to be more comfortable. However, in order to meet the standards of the courts for safety we need running water,” she said.

Kevin Lear has been living in tent city for almost three months. He says he pays ten dollars for a shower at the YMCA across the street.

“Whether you’re homeless or not, everybody deserves to be clean,” Lear said.

He notes the added gravel paths and incoming showers are making the living situation a bit easier.

“It does feel more permanent. It’s feeling a little bit more like home,” Lear added.

The indication of a more permanent situation has some neighbours fired up.

The group “Mad as Hell” says it’s frustrated the province is spending money making the place more livable when it wants the encampment gone altogether.

“I’m just waiting for the Holiday Inn sign to go in next,” founder of the group Stephen Hammond said.

According to Hammond, the City of Victoria needs to rethink how it is spending taxpayer money.

“The idea is if you want to get rid of a tent city, you don’t make it easier for people to stay there. You make it more difficult so that they realize they can go to the social services, they can go to the homes that have been created for them,”Hammond said.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps says she also wants tent city shut down, but adds the province has a responsibility to make sure there aren’t health hazards in the neighbourhood.

“The province has had complaints of people stealing water and using people’s front lawns as toilets which is obviously unacceptable,” Helps said.

A B.C. provincial court judge ruled last month that campers can remain at tent city through the summer.

Despite that, the province has asked the court for a permanent injunction to evict campers from the courthouse lawn.

The hearing is scheduled for Sept. 7.