NORTHEAST TOWN – Residents of both Little Current and Sheguiandah who are part of the water treatment plan systems in their respective communities will see a hike of four percent on their quarterly water bills moving forward.
“We’re recommending a four percent increase across the board,” said Northeast Town CAO Dave Williamson, noting that the municipality’s contractor, Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), has passed a yearly increase of about 10 percent on top of the maintenance costs involved in running two aging water treatment plants.
In Little Current, this will mean a new annual rate of $463.37 (an increase of $17.82) and in Sheguiandah, $1,371.77 a year, or an increase of $52.76.
“You can’t really go full cost recovery over 87 units,” Mr. Williamson said as to why Sheguiandah’s rate is that much higher.
“Basically, there’s only so many times you can go to the well,” Councillor Michael Erskine quipped.
“I don’t want to water it down, but yes,” Mr. Williamson retorted.
Both the Little Current and Sheguiandah plants will see capital projects this year.
When the motion to accept the rates was called, Sheguiandah councillor Dawn Orr said, “I see these people looking at me and it’s such a lot of money for senior citizens on a fixed income, and it really hurts them.”
The motion to raise the water (and sewer in the case of Little Current) rates was carried.
