The base rate for all water users in Vernon will jump 20%, from approximately $50 to $66 per year, at the end of April. Politicians in the North Okanagan have made significant increases to local water rates.The base rate for all water users in Vernon will jump 20%, from approximately $50 to $66 per year, at the end of April.The rate includes ten cubic metres of water for free.After that, customers will be charged on a sliding scale, with those using the most paying significantly higher fees than those who use less. Officials say the increase is necessary to pay for new infrastructure, such as the new $20 million Duteau Creek water plant. Rates could also soar even higher in the years ahead to help pay for a state-of-the-art filtration system, which is being mandated by the Interior Health Authority.
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Don Quixote Note: A jump in the base rate from $50.17 (that included 20m3 of free water) to $66.20 (that includes only 10 m3) is the equivalent of a 31.95% Increase not 20% (ignoring the free water aspect.. (This is also a quarterly jump of $16.03 not per year as stated in article.)
If we factor in the free water aspect the base rate in 2010 was actually $31.77 (assuming you used the 20m3 free at .92m3 = $18.40) and the 2011 rate is $60.20 (assuming you used the 10m3 free at .60m3 = $6.00). This is the equivalent of a increase of a $28.23 or a 89.48% increase.
To best confirm this a Vacant Lot that has access to the water system of GVW has seen an increase from $31.77 per quarter to $66.20 in 2011. 66.20/31.77 = 108.3% increase.
2 comments:
In addition, the $20 million (or a lot more)filtration plant can only be built after the separation of domestic water from agriculture water - another $30 million or more!
Separation of domestic water from agriculture water should be done on an area basis and borrowed and charged on the property taxes in the applicable area. The politicians should be fired for not coming up with a reasonable and fair financial plan.
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