Owners of serviced properties at Netook Crossing Business Park could be facing some hefty wastewater bills under a new utility rate bylaw, administration told Mountain View County's policies and priorities committee on Feb. 22.“We're thinking it's going to be about $500 per month for the customers out there,” Ryan Morrison, manager of infrastructure projects and technical services, said.That estimate – which Morrison confirmed was still “speculative” – is significantly inflated by the cost of trucking wastewater from the Highway 2/27 site to the Town of Bowden, he said.By comparison, monthly rates are $63 for East Rocky View in Rocky View County and $76 for Springbrook in Red Deer County. The calculations are based on an average usage rate of 15 cubic metres per month per customer.The $500 estimate for Netook Crossing includes $52 per month to recover capital and operating costs over 50 years and $448 for haul costs.Properties that are not hooked up to the system will pay only the $52 for long-term capitalization, Morrison said.He confirmed that the price for hauling would drop if the effluent was trucked to Olds after the town's treatment facilities expansion is completed.The cost of hauling the wastewater is currently borne by the county and billed to the developer because of the high infiltration rate. The developer, however, has been working to rectify that ongoing problem.Div. 7 Coun. Al Kemmere asked if staff was waiting for a high-water cycle before determining if the infiltration problem was fixed.“We'll wait for at least one high water table, if not two. They're going to have to prove to us that what they've done is working,” engineering technologist Wayne Brown said, adding that the issue appears to have been caused by the settling of roads within the business park.“So the (estimated) fees of $500 will not take effect until we sign off?” Kemmere asked.“I'd say as soon as the infiltration is under control … we have to start billing the people out there,” Morrison said.Councillors directed administration to prepare a draft utility rate bylaw, which will be presented to P&P for further scrutiny.In its report to council, administration noted under the heading of “unintended outcomes” that the cost to businesses “may be prohibitive to economic development in the area.”
