Melfort has had numerous water main breaks in 2019, including this one on Saskatchewan Drive in January. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Water and Sewer Bills

Melfort Council approves slight increase in water and sewer rates

Dec 10, 2019 | 9:04 AM

Residents in the City of Melfort will have their monthly water and sewer bills go up by about a toonie. While the immediate increase is almost non-existent, the city has five years in which to get on top of its infrastructure challenges, otherwise residents may see significant hikes.

At their regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 9, councillors passed unanimously, “The Waterworks Bylaw” which increases the basic fees on residents’ monthly water and sewer bills. For water, the basic fee goes up by 50 cents while on sewer, it’ll be increased by $1.50.

Mayor Rick Lang said with Melfort’s extremely high water loss, the higher basic fees will help recoup some of the lost revenue that comes with it.

“It’s going to help the city out for a five year window,” he said. “The hope is that within the next five years, we get approved on that federal-provincial funding.”

The funding Lang referred to is to help replace water lines throughout the city. The total cost would be about $30 million to replace all the water lines. About $6 million would have to come from the city for that project.

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Also, the five year window that comes with this is due to the agreement the city has with SaskWater. Previously, Melfort had a 25 year agreement with the crown corporation for “preferential treatment” on their water rates, due to the fact that the city had sold the water treatment plant to them. That contract had ended about a year ago and with their new five-year contract, SaskWater adjusted the charges as well. On the new deal, SaskWater charges Melfort a lower volume metric rate, but a high base rate, something Lang said benefitted them in the long run.

He said once that five-year deal is expired, things are going to change with how SaskWater is going to charge the city.

“We have a five year window to address this problem,” Lang told northeastNOW. “And if it doesn’t get done in five years, then it becomes a serious problem, because that water loss that was $200,000 probably jumps to $300,000.”

Lang said the reason for the jump would be because SaskWater would likely increase the volume metric rate, and lower their base rate for Melfort.

Water loss has been a major topic in the capital and operating budget for the City of Melfort. Council continues to deliberate on the Operating Budget for 2020.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6