Installation of water meters here has already resulted in a reduction in water use, and billing hasn’t even begun under the new user-pay system.
A report from CAO Bill White at the April 7 council meeting notes water meters were installed for all customers in Palmerston and Minto Pines in 2013 and Harriston and Clifford in 2014.
“Initial measurements suggest 20 per cent less water use since installing meters and billing has not even started,” the report states.
Council must pass a by-law before new metered rates can be implemented. The rates must be set considering annual operating, capital and life cycle costing. Consulting firm Watson & Associates have completed a study and will present the rate options at the April 21 council meeting, which is open to the public, between 7 and 7:30pm.
The staff report suggests the proposed water rates be subject to a public meeting on June 16, after which the rate by-law would be presented to council in July. On that schedule the new rates would be in place for the last six months of 2015.
Development charges
Watson and Associates have also prepared a report on development charges that will be presented earlier at the April 21 meeting, between 6 and 7pm.
Under the Development Charges Act, municipalities must complete a background study every five years to update or amend a development charges by-law. The town’s current by-law expires June 9, 2015 unless repealed or replaced earlier.
A development charges by-law is required in order for the town to collect funds to cover growth-related costs of new residential units or new non-residential floor space. Funds collected cannot be used to maintain existing services or install new services, only specific projects directly attributed as a cost of growth. The money is placed in a development charges reserve for growth-related projects.
The 2014 Harriston Fire Hall addition is one example of a project partly funded by development charges, White notes in his report.
