In a move that has been more than 10 years in the making, the City of Castlegar has switched to metered water and sewer billing with the adoption of the 2018 water and sewer rate bylaw.
After months of finetuning, surveys and feedback sessions, the bylaw passed its first three readings at a city council meeting Dec. 18, and final adoption at a special meeting Dec. 21. The meeting was held in order to pass the bylaw before the new year so that the new rate structure would be in place for Jan. 1.
The city’s water and sewer accounts must be self-supporting, so the city must bill for the amount it takes to support operating the system and maintaining infrastructure.
Even though everyone would like to see their utility bills decrease, for every customer that pays less, another one must pay more. The city believes that by introducing a user-pay component to the rate structure they are making the system more equitable and fair — the more you use, the more you pay.
Single-family residential
All single family residential (SFR) customers will now pay a flat rate — reduced from the old rate — plus a charge for consumption over the city usage average of 30 cubic metres per month. The city suggests that for most residents this threshold will only be met during the summer months.
The new flat rate is $360 annually (the previous rate was $419). The consumption rate is $0.68 per cubic metre over 30 cu/m in a given month. For the first year of the new system, usage charges will be capped at 100 cu/m to allow high water users time to adjust to the new system.
SFR sewer flat rates will now be $288 — down from the previous rate of $341. The consumption rate will be $0.38 per cu/m, but that will be capped at 30 cu/m from May to September to account for the increase in summer water usage that takes place outdoors and does not enter the sewer system.
Multi-family residential
Metered multi-family (MF) users will be seeing an increase in their flat rates. The city has identified what it considers to be a gap in fairness between SFR and MF rates. The 2018 flat rate for MF will be $192, an increase of $108 over the previous rate of $84. The metered MF users were already being charged a consumption rate of $0.38 per cu/m — that will increase to $0.48.
MF sewer flat rates will also increase, the 2018 rate will be $144. However, metered MF users were already being charged a consumption rate and those rates will remain the same at $0.38 per cu/m. Those charges will be capped at 25 cu/m from May to September.
Industrial Commercial Institutional
Industrial Commercial Institutional (ICI) customers that have meters will see a $100 increase in flat water rates to $252. Consumption rates will also increase to $0.48 per cu/m.
ICI is another area where the city felt there was a cost-for-service gap with residential customers resulting in the increases.
ICI sewer rates will increase by $136 to $288 and the sewer rate will be $0.44 per cu/m. ICI users will, however, see a 10 per cent discount from May to September.
What is one cubic meter of water?
One cubic meter of water is the equivalent of running a hose for two hours, 10 baths, 10 washing machine loads, 100 toilet flushes, 30 showers or 4,000 cups of tea.
New billing and payment options
The City of Castlegar now offers utility e-billing and online account management. More information can be found at vadimopen.castlegar.ca/vadimopen. You can also view your tax account and claim your home owner grant through the same system.
The city has also introduced a pre-authorized debit program. It will enable customers to pay their utility bill through an automatic electronic transfer. An agreement form can be found at castlegar.ca/pdfs/utilities_pad_agreement.pdf.