STRATHCONA, B.C- The Strathcona Regional District has opted to raise water rates for the Area D community.
At the June 6th board meeting, council opted for a bylaw to bring in new rates in order to make up for a shortfall in the water utility.
Rates are $1.45 per cubic metre for commercial and up to $1.36 per cubic metre for residential customers, up more than $0.16 and $0.19 from last year.
Rates will also increase from $402 up to $800 per dwelling unit for those on flat rates.
Rod Nugent, president of the Area D Residents and Ratepayers Association (ADRRA) made a presentation to the board outlining his reasoning in opting for the increases.
“Unlike in the private sector where there is competition and choice and we can fire Telus and hire Shaw, or vice versa, for our phone or internet, we cannot fire our water service for poor performance,” said Nugent.
“I think that we can all agree that doubling the flat rate water charge in a single year with little warning can be described as poor performance.”
While Nugent said he understood that residents don’t like to see their bills go up, he acknowledged that preemptive action was necessary.
“If we can’t fire the water service, then we can at least improve its management,” he said.
Nugent added that the outcome would be much more expensive if action wasn’t taken now.
“For example, assuming nothing else changes in the water service management practices, we can expect to see bulk water cost increases in the order of 130% by 2022. To avoid this, we need to be proactive now.”
