Athabasca town council last Tuesday proposed new water and sewer rates that are designed to reward those who conserve water.
The new water rate bylaw, which passed two readings last Tuesday, sets the minimum charge per billing at five cubic metres, down from the current minimum volume of 18 cubic metres
However, the new base water rate is $3.22 per cubic metre, more than double the previous base rate of $1.55.
The new, higher rates are linked to the increased costs associated with the opening of the new Aspen Regional Water Treatment Plant last month.
“Rates are going up so we will get enough to offset the increase in costs of buying water from the new treatment plant,” town CAO Doug Topinka explained.
Under the new proposed rate structure, the $3.22 per cubic metre charge remains for volumes up to 18 cubic metres. The rate then jumps to $3.34 per cubic metre up to 45 cubic metres, and up to $3.45 beyond 45 cubic metres.
Meanwhile, the new bylaw also adjusts sewer rates to 25 per cent of the water consumption charge, down from the previous level of 50 per cent.
The net result is that consumers who use less than approximately 10.2 cubic metres of water per billing cycle will see a drop in their bill, while those who use more will experience an increase — in some cases, a substantial one.
For example, Athabascans using 15 cubic metres would see their bills go from $41.85 to $60.37. Meanwhile, those people consuming 30 cubic metres will see their bills skyrocket from $71.55 to $122.55.
“The whole concept the council has come to is to try and promote conservation,” said Topinka, who estimated that some 29 per cent of Athabascans use less than 18 cubic metres per billing cycle.
If the bylaw passes third reading as expected, the new rates will take effect on Dec. 1, meaning that consumers will see the difference on their next water bill in January 2011.
