Don’t expect the city’s Water Filtration Surcharge to return to your water bill.
Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch, Chair of the General Government Committee, says the debt is being paid off.
“We were able to find a project that hadn’t been started or completed and they’re going to be changing it around, redesigning it,” she says. “We took that money and we paid off the Water Filtration Surcharge. It’s sitting in a reserve account and will pay off the debt over time.”
Vrebosch says the project that’s being updated is the West Ferris Trunk Watermain.
“That project is being redesigned to be done in a different, more efficient way,” she says.
Vrebosch says they took a holiday from the $1.43 monthly surcharge last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and it would’ve resulted in a ‘double impact’ for residents if they reinstated it this year.
Instead, the surcharge is now off the books.
“It was estimated to be done in 2027 so it’s coming off the books completely. Now the impact will be less on the user, not just for this year but for the next few years,” she says.
According to the city’s website, the Water Filtration Plant project was completed in May 2010.
The surcharge removal was part of a bigger discussion on water rates Wednesday evening, which are a step closer to going up by 2.38 percent.
You’ll have to forgo a large coffee and a couple of Timbits each month if the increase is approved.
Vrebosch explains how it will impact your wallet.
“The average (residential water) user is currently using between 15 and 15.5 cubic metres. They’ll see a difference of between $2.38 and $2.60 per month in their bill. The higher users of 20 cubic metres will see a difference of $3.02 in their bill, monthly,” she says.
Vrebosch says they’re sticking to the 50-50 fixed/variable rate policy.
The increase, which still needs to be approved by full council, does not include wastewater.
