Some residents who are hooked into either of the two water systems in the County of St. Paul may notice some changes on their water bills in the New Year.
Before approving its updated Utilities Bylaw number 2017-34, council took time to speak with Golnaz Azimi from Urban Systems via a telephone call, held during last week’s regular council meeting.
The main topic discussed was water rates, and how the numbers had been calculated. CAO Sheila Kitz noted that it was especially important to set the rural water rate since a resident had very recently connected to the line, between Spedden and Ashmont.
The water rate for residents in the county does vary, with set rates and usage rates being different in the hamlet of Mallaig, compared to the rates for Lottie Lake and Ashmont residents, and different yet again for rural residents outside of the hamlet boundaries, and those in Elk Point.
In Ashmont and Lottie Lake, residents pay a fixed water service fee of $60/month. The consumption rate in the bylaw will increase to $5.03 per cubic meter, from $4.90 per cubic meter.
In Mallaig, residents will continue to pay the fixed rate of $26 per month, and a usage rate of $3.49 per cubic meter, with revisions to be made to the rates once the Ashmont to Mallaig waterline is complete.
In Elk Point, residents will pay the same fixed water service fee of $51.65 per month that they did previously, but the consumption rate will increase from $2.02 per cubic meter to $2.10.
For residents who connect to the waterline outside of hamlet boundaries, they will pay a fixed water service fee of $28.57 per month, and a consumption rate of $2.24 per cubic meter.
Bulk potable water sales will stay the same. In Ashmont, the cost is $6.50 per cubic meter; and in Mallaig the cost is $4.50 per cubic meter.
The main question answered by Azimi was why the numbers were different between hamlet residents and rural residents. It was noted that because the service being provided is essentially different, residents should pay fairly.
Kitz also added that rural residents do have an upfront cost of close to $30,000 when connecting to the waterline.
While some of the costs of the water system are split evenly among residents, other things aren’t. For example, hamlet residents pay for the water to be pumped from a reservoir to their homes, which isn’t a factor in the rural residents’ fees.
Azimi also noted that the calculations to arrive at the rates are all based on actual numbers from a sample year. This is itself is a challenge, she admitted, since the water system at Lottie Lake and Ashmont is still very new.
By the time Mallaig is on board with the water system, there will be some better data to work with, and rates can be updated, she explained.
There is a chance that once there are more people connected to the system costs could go down. Some of the fees, such as a $25,000 administration fee that is paid to the Highway 28/63 Regional Water Services Commission, will be split between more users, for example, said Kitz.
Coun. Laurent Amyotte asked if it was possible to break down the costs on utility bills, so that residents can easily see why they are paying what they are being charged. Administration said it would look into the matter.
When figuring out costs with the two schools that will eventually be hooked on to the system, it was pointed out that they could only be charged on fixed fee, because they are one user. It was also pointed out that water usage at the schools varies, based on the month of the year.
The method to come up with the water rates across the county is as accurate as it can be using the numbers on the books, and it’s all based on actual data, said Azimi.
“There’s no assumptions.”
Council unanimously approved all three readings of Bylaw 2017-34 to set the new water rates, effective Jan. 1. A motion to approve the rural water rates effective Dec. 1 was also carried, so that the new rural customer can be billed.
Earlier in the meeting, council had approved a funding agreement with the Highway 28/63 Regional Water Services Commission in regards to the pump upgrade at the Edwand booster station, which is required for the Mallaig waterline project to go through.
The commission will be conducting the project, since it owns the station, while the County of St. Paul will be making funds available for the project, which is covered in large part by the grants received from the provincial and federal governments for the Mallaig Regional Water Supply project.
The project to upgrade the booster station has already been tendered out, and the commission was waiting on the County of St. Paul to approve the agreement. The Mallaig waterline project is being funded over 90 per cent by government grants.
