Should Kamloops council sign-off this Tuesday, home owners in the city will need to budget even more next year for utility rates – $129 dollars in total.
Among increases, council is being asked to hike water fees by 25 per cent, or around $95 a year.
“Earlier this year, council decided to increase the assist factor for water DCC projects. Those are development cost charge projects – essentially projects that are completed to support growth in our community, specific to water,” Utilities Services Manager Greg Wightman told Radio NL on Monday.
He says the other factor for the steep hike next year is the decommissioning of the Noble Creek Irrigation System.
“The other major change has been the decommissioning payments associated with Noble Creek. That was something we weren’t talking about last year,” said Wightman. “The $3.2 million that is being paid to Noble Creek customers as part of the decommissioning program payment, we need to recover that from the potable water utility.”
Solid waste pick-up fees would jump by 7 per cent, or $22 a year, while sewer rates would rise 2.5 percent, or $12 a year.
Breakdown of utility rate increases/via City of Kamloops
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- Proposed water rate Changes over the next five years. (Photo via City of Kamloops)
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- Proposed sewer rate changes over the next five years. (Photo via City of Kamloops)
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- Proposed garbage collection rate changes in 2024. (Photo via City of Kamloops)
City council will have to adopt its new Solid Waste, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Amendment Bylaws before Dec. 31 of this year.
