Residents in the County of Stettler will see an increase in their utility bills & connection fees following the passage of a new water & wastewater bylaw.
The county council gave all three readings to the bylaw during its April 8 meeting, which details how much the municipality charges for water hookups & utility rates.
Under the new regulations, the water connection charge for the hamlet of Erskine has been removed & replaced with a general hamlet & multi-lot subdivision fee.
The fee schedule lists a $22.00 fixed monthly charge for water, as well as a $20.00 fixed monthly fee for wastewater.
Water utility rates have been adjusted across the region.
Residents in the South East Service Area will see an increase of $0.20 per cubic metre, while all other areas will see an increase of $0.15 per cubic metre.
County officials estimate the change will cost the typical household an additional $2 to $4 per month.
Meanwhile, wastewater consumption is calculated at 80 per cent of a household’s water usage, with a rate of $25.00 for the Buffalo Sands & Buffalo View Estates service areas.
The new fee schedule is set to take effect May 1.
The water & wastewater bylaw also sets rates for large facilities in the county, such as schools & community halls, as well as bulk water sales.
Finally, the bylaw also clarifies maintenance boundaries for low-pressure wastewater systems.
The definition of a “service line”, the portion of the system maintained by the property owner, has been expanded to include pumps.
Council had requested the bylaw be brought back to the table to examine the cost of urban water hookup fees to the municipality.
Author: Landin Chambers
Landin Chambers is a news reporter for Hometown Media Stettler. He has a background in broadcast news, with previous roles in Prince George, Red Deer and Calgary. You may also see him as a cameraman for the Stettler Wildcats and Stettler Imperials. Have a story idea? Email: lchambers@htproductionsmedia.ca
