DIDSBURY - Council has approved updates to the municipality’s Utilities Charges Bylaw, including changes in residential solid waste service charges, water service charges and wastewater service charges.
The updates came during the recent regularly scheduled Town of Didsbury council meeting, held in person and on Zoom.
Regarding residential solid waste service charges, the solid waste service fee increases from $19 month to $20.90, and the additional blue bin service (recycling) fee increases from $4 to $4.60.
Regarding water service charges, the bulk water charge on local account decreases from $7 per cubic metre to $6 per cubic metre, the bulk water charge - non-local on account and coin purchase is set at $8.10 per cubic meter, the water consumption rate increases from $2.62 to $3.10 per cubic metre, an the water distribution rates increase from $1.20 to $1.40.
Regarding wastewater service charges, the infrastructure fee - connections with meters one inch and under is $8.61 per month, the infrastructure fee - connections with meters from one and quarter inch to two inch is $33.24 per month, and infrastructure fees - connections with meters three inches and over is $74.78 per month.
There is a $2 fee for printed utility bill (no charge for emailed bill) starting this year.
The updated utility charges and fees comes following reviews by the strategic planning committee and councils.
Mayor Rhonda Hunter noted the Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission has increased its water rates to $1.97 per cubic metre effective April 1, 2023, impacting the fee charged by the municipality.
“Our commission has adjusted their sale of water to us so that always gets passed on to our water consumers and as a result we saw an increase in that,” Hunter told the Albertan.
The rates in the bylaw come into place for the month of January’s charges, which are billed at the beginning of February.
During the Jan. 10 meeting, council passed first reading to the 2023 planning and business licence fees bylaw and sent it to the policy and governance committee for consideration.
