WESTLOCK – Effective March 1, Westlock County residents will see a three per cent increase to their base water and sewer rates, as well as a $.10 increase per cubic metre for water usage to offset an increase from the Westlock Regional Water Commission (WRWC).
At their Jan. 23 meeting, councillors voted 7-0 consecutively to first repeal Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw # 27-2021, Schedule J – Utilities, then pass the three-page Bylaw 43-2023 Amending Bylaw to Fees Rates and Charges Bylaw 27-2021. The increases, as noted in request for decision from finance director Peggy Hardinge, were previously discussed during 2023 budget deliberations as “increasing costs for utility services need to be recovered partially from the user.”
“There’s not a lot we can do about it,” noted Coun. Sherri Provencal on the fact the municipality by and large simply passes on the rate increases it receives from entities like the WRWC.
In a Jan. 25 follow-up interview, Hardinge said that the county charges residents “a bit more” than what they pay the WRWC for water to cover things like pumps, pipes and maintenance.
“So yes, we do charge more than what the commission charges us, but that’s to cover other (system) operating costs,” Hardinge explained.
Starting March 1, the base water rate for all hamlet users will be $44.47, while the sewer rate climbs to $15.30. In addition, the Westlock County Industrial Park water fee rises to $75.01 and the rate per cubic metre for residential and industrial water increases to $4.40 — the bulk water rate remains static at $5 per cubic metre.
Other rates of note, which did not change, include the monthly $10 charge for water infrastructure in all the hamlets, and $5 for sewer infrastructure, $15 for garbage pickup and a $250 charge if a resident wants to get their water meter tested. Meanwhile, residents with unserviced lots looking to hook up to water and sewer service face a charge of $1,200 per connection.
