'Increases can no longer be avoided': Halifax Water seeks rate hike
Costs are going up in every direction, and for people in Halifax, the next increase might be their water bill.
Halifax Water is seeking permission from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board for a water, wastewater and stormwater rate hike this September and once again in April 2023.
The rate hike would mean a typical residence in the Halifax Regional Municipality that currently pays about $78.31 quarterly for water and $125.27 quarterly for wastewater would pay an additional $1.65 on water and $4.64 in September.
In April 2023, rates would increase another $4.13 for water and $2.16 for wastewater.
Halifax Water is also asking for a hike to stormwater rates between $2 and $15 dollars and once again in April 2023, for an increase of between $3 and $19 –depending on the impervious area.
“Rate increases can no longer be avoided. Costs resulting from aging infrastructure, growth pressures, and ongoing environmental compliance are increasing,” said Cathie O’Toole, general manager of Halifax Water. “As are expenses such as electricity, chemicals and wages.”
They are pressures consumers know all too well as the costs of gas, food and energy go up.
“In such circumstances a utility needs to be especially diligent in keeping costs to a minimum amount possible,” said William Mahody, a consumer advocate.
“Utilities need to take the lead from their customers and learn to do more with less.”
Halifax Water is also going to waive some of the fees charged to overdue accounts and request to lower the interest rate charged to outstanding accounts from 19 per cent to 14 per cent.
PROVINCE DOESN’T WANT TO PAY
Halifax Water is looking to charge the Province of Nova Scotia $1.1 million in annual stormwater fees as of September, and about $1.2 million as of April, but the province does not want to pay the fees.
The Province of Nova Scotia filed a statement to the UARB arguing that Halifax Water has no authority to charge it for stormwater fees on its provincial roads.
Mark Rieksts, a lawyer with the Nova Scotia government, said the province manages its own stormwater service on its own roadways and this is the first time Halifax Water has tried to charge the province.
“This infrastructure is funded through the taxpayer dollars,” Rieksts said. “As the guardian of the public purse, the province is, and will remain vigilant that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.”
HALIFAX WATER DISAGREES
John MacPherson, a lawyer for Halifax Water, called it a “peculiar argument” and noted that the province has been paying for water services for 70 years.
“In our view the province is clearly wrong in both fact and law,” MacPherson said.
The hearing heard if the province doesn’t pay, the costs would be absorbed by other customers.
CONSERVING WATER
Lil MacPherson, co-owner of the Wooden Monkey restaurant, said her business’ water bill is already about $500 a month. To conserve costs and energy, the restaurant has started only serving by request instead of automatically pouring it for every table.
Otherwise, MacPherson said, too much is wasted.
“You can drink as much water as you want here, you just have to ask for it,” she said.
When you add up the amount of water it takes to wash a glass of water, make the ice for it and fill it with water, Macpherson estimates it takes about three glasses of water to serve one.
She’s encouraging other restaurants to also conserve.
“Something really small that we all do together makes a huge impact on water conservation, which I hope HRM are talking about that,” MacPherson said.
As for the decision about if and when rates might go up, the UARB is still reviewing evidence.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to be safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
TikTok, ByteDance sue to block U.S. law seeking sale or ban of app
TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance said on Tuesday they filed suit in U.S. federal court seeking to block a law signed by President Joe Biden that would force the divestiture of the short video app used by 170 million Americans or ban its use.