Rural residential water rate jumps 66%
Rural residents are paying more for water from the water dispensing stations owned by the City of Fort St. John. An annual price increase is not unusual, but the most recent price hike, which came into effect on January 1, is considerably higher than the increases seen by any other users of city water.
The Water Regulation Amendment bylaw, passed by city council on November 14, included new rates for everyone who uses city water. The cost for users in the city, whose water is piped directly to their homes went up 10 cents, from $1.85 to $1.95 per cubic metre. An increase of 5 percent. Commercial non-domestic user rates from the rural water station went up $1.50, from $8.50 to $10 per cubic metre. An increase of 17 percent.
But those rural residents who get their water from the two rural water dispensing stations, are now paying $5 per cubic metre, up from $3 – a 66 percent increase.
The rural water dispensing stations, located on Lakeshore Drive in Charlie Lake, and on the West Bypass Road near Ma Murray Community School, are the only public water sources currently available to residents of Area C. These residents must either haul the water themselves or have it delivered.
Residents of Area B can use these facilities as well, but unlike in Area C, there are other water stations scattered throughout the area. Water is available at the Feye Spring, Boundary Lake, Buick, Prespatou and Rose Prairie water stations for $3 per cubic metre. The Peace River Regional District is currently looking into an upgrade of the Rose Prairie water station.
Area B director Jordan Kealy said that the water in wells throughout the region are very high in dissolved solids, and the water is often extremely hard. Sediment in wells can also be a problem which leads rural residents to seek out the cleaner Peace River water available through the city’s dispensing stations.
"The biggest cost you see in your water bill right now is the delivery,” said Kealy.
When asked why the rates for rural domestic users has increased so much, Mayor Lilia Hansen said that the rates are reviewed annually in order to ensure that the city is recovering its costs for providing the service to all residents, and to ensure sufficient funds are collected to cover future infrastructure needs.
“The city’s cost to purchase products and services have increased across the board with inflationary pressures and supply chain issues, similar to what households are experiencing themselves,” she said.
There is also a "large upcoming capital expenditure for the reconstruction of the parking lot at the Water Transfer Station on the West Bypass Road,” said Hansen. “The wear on that driving surface is accelerated by very heavy commercial traffic at that site.”
Hansen estimated the cost for that repaving project could exceed a million dollars when put out to bid.