Council here has decided to go ahead with a switch to metered water use in Drayton and Moorefield.
Council approved the move at the July 23 meeting, following the presentation of a water and wastewater rate study by Watson and Associates, and instructed staff to proceed with preparing a request for proposals for water meter installation.
It remains to be decided whether council will elect to charge separate rates in Drayton and Moorefield, or charge all customers a single blended rate using the same composition of a flat rate and usage charges.
While the consultant’s report provided a variety of rate options, Mayor Bruce Whale said council’s priority at the July 23 meeting was to decide whether or not to go ahead with a metered water system.
“It’s a very fair and equitable system to go to meters,” said councillor Jim Curry, who said the fact water meters would encourage conservation “is a positive for both water users and the municipality.”
Councillor Mike Downey pointed out if water usage drops, rates would have to rise to cover the costs of the system.
“There still has to be X number of dollars coming in, so if 75 per cent of the people use less water, the rates are going to go up,” he noted.
Whale stressed the municipality has been approved for grants to cover much of the cost of switching to meters.
“I think the opportunity is there to get federal and provincial money. If we don’t do it now, it might not be there in another 10 years if we have another project,” said Whale.
Of the estimated $500,000 cost of meter installation in Drayton, about $334,000 will be covered by federal and provincial grants. The $125,000 cost of the Moorefield project will be subsidized by $83,000 in grants.
