OLDS — As the new year looms, so do increases in water and wastewater bills in Olds.
Town council has approved hikes in water, wastewater (sewer) rates during its Dec. 13 meeting. An increase was also approved for off-site levies which help fund new or expanded infrastructure as the community expands. They’re paid by developers as a condition of approval for subdivisions.
The rate hikes are contained in a new bylaw that comes into effect on Jan. 1. It was presented to council by finance director Sheena Linderman.
Water rates rise by 10 cents a cubic metre and wastewater charges rise by eight cents a cubic metre.
All off-site levies will rise by 1.8 per cent.
Votes to approve the new increases passed easily.
The Albertan asked Linderman why the rates were increased; whether that was simply due to inflation.
"We increased our water and wastewater rates based on increases from the Mountain View Regional Water Commission and the South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission," Linderman replied in an email. "The off-site levies are increased by 1.8 per cent annually. This amount was determined during an off-site levies review that took place in 2017."
During the Dec. 13 meeting, Coun. Heather Ryan asked if the municipality plans to undertake an analysis to see how off-site levies Olds compare with those charged by other communities.
“I know we do an increase annually to these so I just was wondering, at what point do we say OK, this is too much,” Ryan asked.
Linderman said a “full analysis” of those rates is expected to take place in 2022.
