The cost of sewer and water services in Burnaby is going up, following the approval of increases at Monday’s council meeting.
Starting Jan. 1, residents will see a three-per-cent increase to the city’s sanitary sewer and water utility rates to cover costs associated with water delivery and provide funding for operating and capital works. The changes are part of the city’s annual review of rates, which determine appropriate adjustments to corresponding bylaws to maintain the services.
The average non-metered single-family home will see water rates rise by $16.35, while sewer rates will climb by $15.38. Payment is due by March 15, but the city offers a five-per-cent discount to residents who pay their water and sewer bills prior to the deadline.
While the city’s water rates have increased over the last few years – largely due to recent projects by Metro Vancouver – the amount at which they’ve gone up has steadily dropped over the last five years. In 2010, Burnaby’s water rates went up by 14 per cent, dropping by dramatically every year since then.
“Over the last number of years, (Metro Vancouver) had a whole bunch of fairly large capital projects coming onto the tab,” said Leon Gous, director of engineering with the city. “Those increases were quite heavy to obviously account for those capital payments.
“For water, there aren’t any new big ones coming up at the moment, so we’re getting a bit of a break, if you like.”
Likewise, Burnaby’s sewer rates increased by 8.5 per cent in 2010, but dropped by a few points annually to this year’s three per cent.
“In sewer, there wasn’t as big of a dramatic shift – sewer is always a bit up and down,” said Gous. “There are some future works coming up for improvements of the regional system… but we haven’t been able to determine from Metro when they expect that to start coming in.”
The city’s projected 2015 waterworks utility expenditures total $49.5 million, up $865,000 from this year. About 53 per cent of the cost goes to Metro Vancouver for drinking water, while the rest goes toward the city’s water transmission system (controlled by the engineering department) and investments in water-related infrastructure.
Next year’s sanitary sewer expenditures are estimated at $39 million, an increase of $465,600 from this year. Similarly, the cost is split between the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District levy imposed by Metro Vancouver (49 per cent), maintenance and operations by the city (19 per cent), and infrastructure investment (32 per cent).
Additionally, council also approved a 2.5-per-cent increase to the city’s sewer connection permit rates and a new $380 fee for sewer service connection adjustment applications.
“The permit fees are normally for when you want a brand new connection application,” said Gous, “but the fee adjustment application is normally when you have an existing connection on a lot and you want to redevelop the lot and you want that connection moved.
“I think it’s just that in time, we just realized we aren’t recovering that full cost by the time someone does a connection.”
