Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County has updated its water and wastewater bylaw to determine a more practical way to collect overdue accounts.
At its regular meeting May 8, council gave all three readings to adopt an amended water and wastewater bylaw. It is part of council efforts to review its bylaws and policies.
Reeve Tyler Airth said the main change is property owners will be responsible for renters to pay.
“In the future, bills will be directed to the property owner,” Airth noted.
“Any new accounts will (also) be directed to the owners.”
Water service will be turned off to any renter who has not paid in full 40 days after the date the payment was due.
The bylaw was discussed and tabled at the council meeting April 10 after council requested further information, said Kevin Cymbaluk, director of operations.
“The key revision is the addition of transferring landowners’ outstanding balances to the tax roll to eliminate shutoffs due to non-payment,” he noted.
“No additional rental accounts will be established but the existing account will be allowed to continue until they are gradually phased out through attrition over time.”
The original bylaw was approved in 2008.
“We also wish to find a more practical procedure to deal with water shutoffs an reconnections,” said Cymbaluk.
Big Lakes currently has about 1,200 water accounts, including 91 rental accounts.
“On average, the County completes 10 shutoffs every two months,” Cymbaluk told council.
“This equates to about nine per cent of all active accounts that get shut off for non-payment every billing cycle based on historical data average.”
He noted another cost for water services.
“Another important factor not mentioned at the April 10 council meeting was the cost we incur during the winter months when we need to hire a contractor to steam the frozen valves after we turn them off and again when we turn them back on,” Cymbaluk said.
“This can easily add up to $1,000 per occurrence plus of the cost of staff time and parts if an item is broken during the event.”