County utility rates set for 2019

By Nikki Jamieson
Sunny South News

Lethbridge County council has approved the utility rates for 2019.

During their regular Jan. 16 meeting, council was presented with the proposed bylaw 19-002  — or the 2019 Utility Rates bylaw — for approval. The bylaw’s propose was to adjust the county’s utility rates to allow for any anticipated changes through the coming year, so that the county could maintain cost recovery of operations.

The proposed changes in the bylaw include:

Water Charge (monthly billing)

Residential Service — increases from $40.27 to $41.08 per month base charge plus an increase from $1.55 to $1.58 per cubic meter.

County of Lethbridge Rural Water Association Distribution System — increases from $0.83 to $0.85 per cubic meter

North County System — increases from $1.14 to $1.17 per cubic meter

Rave Industrial Park — increases from $147.88 to $150.84 per month for base water charge, and increases from $1.55 to $1.58 per cubic metre consumption charge.

Broxburn Industrial Park

Potable/Treated Water — increases from $7.50 to $7.65/cubic metre and increases from $13.84 to $14.12/monthly flat fee

Raw Water — increases from $1.97 to $2.01/cubic metre and increases from $74.54 to $76.03 /monthly flat fee

Wastewater — increases from $122.88 to $125.34/monthly flat fee

Commercial Users – Meter size greater than 200 mm (8 inches)  — increases from $0.74 to $0.76 per cubic meter plus $0.23 per cubic meter surcharge for capital replacement, operation and maintenance.

Other Commercial Users — increases from $40.27 to $41.08 per month base charge plus an increase from $1.55 to $1.58 per cubic meter.

Airport Service — increases from $20.24 to $20.65 per month base charge plus an increase from $4.27 to $4.38 per cubic meter.

Truck Fill Sales

Increases from $4.32 to $4.41cubic metres

Sewer Service Charge

Hamlets (Diamond City, Monarch, Shaughnessy, Turin)  — Residential increases from $25.11 to $25.61, and Commercial increases from $50.17 to $51.17

Subdivision of Fairview — Residential increases from $79.80 to $81.40, and Commercial increases from $90.34 to $92.15

Airport — Commercial increases from $130 to $132.60

Rave Industrial Park — Commercial increases from $1.55 to $1.58 cubic metre of water consumption plus an increase from $87.21 to $88.95 per month base charge

Garbage Collection

Street Side Pick-up — Increases from $21.14 to $21.77/month/residence

“The City did have a slight increase in their water rates, and that’s the only increase that they implemented, there was no increase on the county’s side of things,” said Tracey Anderson, director of corporate services.

“Further, what didn’t make it into this draft here, (in Schedule “A” of the bylaw), item 8. J., that item, that Capital Recovery Surcharge in the Rave Industrial Park, that item has been paid in full, as the property has been sold, so that item is going to be deleted, as well as the same for the sewer charge (on the next page of the bylaw), about the third item down — Rave Industrial Park, lot 9, block 2 — those items can come out, as well as Schedule “B” can be removed as well.”

County CAO Ann Mitchell informed council that it had been five years since fees and charges had been “thoroughly looked at and updated”, and it will be something they will be examining this year.

“The schedules of fees bylaw, we do need to review it every, it hasn’t been reviewed for five years, so staff will be reviewing it in 2019 and bringing it forward,” said Mitchell. “We will be looking at all the schedule fees and charges to make sure they are in alignment.”

Anderson said that while all the different departments do an internal review of schedule of fee changes, an external review would be taking place this year.

Council unanimously approved first, second and third and final reading of the bylaw. Coun. Ken Benson was absent from the meeting.

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