Utility Billing
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UTILITY BILLING
In October 2012, the City of Parksville revised the tiered billing rates for water use, effective March 2013. The new rates include a fixed charge of $86; $70 for a water infrastructure charge (based on the annual depreciation of capital assets currently in place) and $16 for an infrastructure fixed charge for the purpose of building reserves for the construction of the water treatment plant mandated by Vancouver Island Health Authority. The new rates reduce the tiered charges for residential and increase the commercial sector rate. Overall the revenues from the residential sector are projected to increase 12.25% while revenues from the commercial sector are projected to increase 25.1%. Increases are necessary to ensure the water utility has sufficient revenues and reserves to maintain the water infrastructure and deliver potable water.
In 2012, the commercial sector used 32.4% of the billable water and the residential sector used 67.6%. This new fee structure attempts to equalize costs for residential and commercial customers based on total water consumption. Residential customers will be charged a new tiered rate based on consumption to promote water conservation and commercial users pay a base rate of $86 plus $1.68 for every cubic meter of water consumed.
PRESENTATIONS
The presentation made to the November 5, 2012, Council meeting is available here:
Previous presentations were made to Committee of the Whole in September 2012.
FOR INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR UTILITY BILLING, CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING:
Over the past few years, the City has reviewed the current water and sanitary sewer billing practices which included a combination of several methods (parcel taxes, flat rate user fees, consumption based user fees) in view of adopting consumption based billing system to provide a more equitable method of charging consumers, and to help promote water conservation.
On April 15, 1996, Council Resolution 96-138 was passed authorizing that the existing parcel taxes, flat rate minimum water charge and flat rate sewer charge for all properties connected to the water and sanitary sewer systems, be replaced with water and sanitary sewer fees based totally on water consumption.
The main advantage of a consumption-based system is that it is totally equitable. Those that use the service are those that pay for it and help provide incentives for water conservation. Did you know the use of water saving showerheads would save 17 gallons of water for a 7-minute shower? With installation of water saving devices, it is expected that the liquid waste flow to the French Creek Sewage Treatment Plant could be reduced by as much as 20%. The City encourages you to use water wisely, which in turn benefits us all. Our parks staff will be happy to help explain the best way to irrigate your garden or lawn.
All properties not connected to the water and sanitary sewer systems that are deemed to be benefiting from these systems continue to be charged a water and sanitary sewer parcel tax. All properties not connected to water but connected to sanitary sewer are to be charged a flat rate sewer fee based on the average sewer fee for that class of property as determined by the average consumption for that class.
For utility information, please email JAllen@parksville.ca or phone 250 954-4653.
WATER RATE CALCULATORS
Water rate calculators have been provided so that you can estimate your water rates.
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