Residential and commercial water and wastewater (sewage) consumption rates in Olds are rising, starting next month.
Water rates are rising by five cents per cubic metre and wastewater rates are increasing by 20 cents a cubic metre.
Olds town council passed a bylaw instituting the new rates during its Jan. 23 meeting.
As a result, residential consumers will see their water consumption rates rise to $2.69 per cubic metre consumed, up from $2.64, and their wastewater consumption rates increase to $4.23 per cubic metre from $4.03 per cubic metre.
Commercial consumers will see their water consumption rates hiked to $2.69 per cubic metre from $2.64 per cubic metre, and their wastewater rates increase to $4.69 per cubic metre from $4.49 per cubic metre.
Town chief financial officer Garth Lucas says residential and commercial consumers will see those new rates when they get their bills in early February.
During an interview with reporters, Lucas pointed out those increases weren't mandated by the town. The water hike was decided upon by the Mountain View Regional Water Services commission and the wastewater increase was decided upon by the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission. The town is merely passing them on.
He also noted that the basic fixed charges of $12.83 per month for residential and commercial water users and $18.40 a month for residential and commercial wastewater consumers remain unchanged. The consumption rates are tacked on to those basic rates.
Reporters asked Lucas what consumers can do to keep costs down as those new consumption rates come into effect.
His advice? Conserve water.
“Depending on how much water you use, that's how much your bill will go up,” Lucas said.
He added the water and wastewater rate hikes together total an increase of 25 cents a cubic metre.
“Because it's 25 cents per cubic metre increase, if you use one cubic metre it's going to be a 25-cent increase. If you use 10 cubic metres it's going to be a $2.50 increase, and if you use 20 cubic metres it's going to be a $5 a month increase,” Lucas added.
“And depending on the size of the family or the number of residents in the home, the amount of water consumed varies.”
During discussion on the bylaw, Coun. Maryanne Overwater said bills going out to consumers don't have the wastewater consumption rate on them.
Lucas said he'll check into that.
“The per cubic rate should be there and if it's not there then that's something we'll have to fix,” he said.
“Because there are two separate rates, one for residential, one for commercial, I'm not sure if the computer is smart enough to be able to differentiate between the two and yet use the two rates to calculate. So it should be able to print it on – should be able to. But I will check into that,” he added.
"Depending on how much water you use, that's how much your bill will go up."GARTH LUCASOLDS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
