Water rates to rise in 2007

Alicia Boisson
South Peace News

accommodate provincial standards. The current rate sits a $1.53 per cubic meter, however this rate will climb to $1.83 per cubic meter. Town Manager Larry Baran says this increase is based on the Municipal Government Act which states that all utilities must be self sustaining. “As of right now our water system is not,” says Baran. “There are a number of upgrades that have to be done and there is no money in the reserves to accommodate these changes.” He adds government water standards are forever changing. “Refer to it as working on a windmill because as you are working on it, the targets are always moving. We want to make sure our water meets the standards of the government.” The majority of the current water lines were installed in the 1950s, says Baran adding plans for upgrading have to start. “In the past there hasn’t been any money put into any reserves for this kind of upgrade, so over the next 10 years we are not only building our reserves for the replacement but we are also planning to complete the upgrades,” says Baran. Residents can expect some additional increases in the next 4-5 years, says Baran adding their will be another increase in 2008. “We are giving people the heads up about the increase, but it isn’t a bad thing,” says Baran. “It is just an expensive proposition to guarantee we meet the standard water quality.” The first upgrade that has been factored into the $1,023,000 interim budget of 2007 is adding Partical Counters to the filters to ensure there are only a certain amount of partical passing through the filtration. This upgrade, says Sarah Bittner, Town of High Prairie treasurer, will alone cost $55,000. “Although we have a fairly new water treatment plant which is only four years old, the government is requiring for us to do a number of upgrades to accommodate for the demand,” says Bittner. In late September, early October the town hired a consultant who came to evaluate the water system in town, says Baran. “He gave us an in-depth look at the capital and operating costs of the water system and it was brought to council’s attention that there were a number of upgrades that needed to be done,” says Baran. He adds the increase in government standards is because of a contamination incident that occurred in Walkerton Ont., killing about five people.

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