BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead residents who use the municipality's water system will see their bills increase come Jan. 1.
On Dec. 17, councillors approved a new Rates and Fees Bylaw, which included increased water and sewer rates for residents accessing municipal services.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, residents on the municipal water system will see their water rates increase by three per cent, moving from $59.87 per month for the first 10 cubic metres to $61.67. The rate moves from $4.4559 to $4.5896 per cubic metre for water usage above the base amount.
Finance director and administration Tamara Molzahn said the move was made mainly because of a jump in Barrhead Regional Water Commission (BRWC) rates.
The BRWC is an independent body comprised of members of the Barrhead municipalities. The commission owns the region's water infrastructure, pipelines, and treatment plant. It sells the water to the municipalities, which, in turn, resell it to their residents.
In 2024, the water commission sold water to the municipalities for $2.44 per cubic metre. Starting in 2025, this will increase to $2.51 per cubic metre, a 2.9 per cent increase.
For non-metered service, i.e., residential dwelling units, such as apartments, the rate moves from $99.44 to $101.39 a month. For any other application, the monthly rate increases to $158.44 per unit. The previous rate was $153.83.
The Manola truck fill station rate remains unchanged at $7.81 per cubic metre, as will the sanitary sewer charge for metered residences, which is 40 per cent of the water charge. Where the water service is unmetered or not provided by the county, the rate jumps to $50.70 from the previous $49.22 per unit monthly charge.
A week prior, Town of Barrhead council, also increased its water and sewer rates starting in the new year.
Molzahn added that administration also recommends the increase to get closer to the municipality's goal of 100 percent user recovery. From 2019 to 2021, the county's water and sewer system cost recovery hovered at 94 to 95 per cent. In 2023, it jumped to 98 per cent, and as of December, the utilities are on track for 98 per cent in 2024.
Molzahn said the 2025 interim budget projects the cost recovery for the water and sewer recovery at 99 per cent.
"If the actual cost recovery exceeds 100 per cent, the proceeds will be put into capital reserves," she said.
Other Rates and Fees Bylaw changes
During the council's 2025 budget deliberations, councillors suggested adding a new development fee, a $1,500 application fee for alternative energy systems.
Coun. Walter Preugschas noted the fee was only for commercial installations.
Assessment fees will also increase, jumping from $5 to $35, and the fee to appeal a development or subdivision to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board will go from $250 to $300.
Two agricultural services charges will increase in the new year. The first is the rental and deposit fees for the plastic mulch applicator. The charge to rent the equipment will be $100, up from the previous no charge, and the new deposit fee will increase by $200 to $400. Agricultural services also increased the deposit for the cattle squeeze with scale to $500, a jump of $300.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
