Penticton city council to preview recommended price hikes in utility rate review – Okanagan | 24CA News
In Penticton, B.C., a proposed utility price evaluation that’s recommending a collection of worth hikes will likely be previewed by metropolis council on Tuesday earlier than it goes out for public engagement.
According to the town, the utility price evaluation is designed to make sure the reliability of the town’s infrastructure.
“As a municipality, one of the most important responsibilities we have is ensuring that residents have dependable utilities, which covers electrical, water and storm and sanitary sewer,” stated Kristen Dixon, the town’s common supervisor of infrastructure.
“The utility rate review is a chance to assess where we’re at in terms of needs and identify the best options to ensure we have the ability to maintain the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure.”
The metropolis says the report will embrace suggestions from consultants that embrace price will increase over the following a number of years for residential clients.
Those price will increase embrace:
- An electrical utility price enhance of 10 per cent in 2024 and 7 per cent within the subsequent three years. That equates to a mean month-to-month enhance of $11.81.
- A handled water price enhance of 6.4 per cent. That equates to a mean of $3.42 a month.
- A storm sewer price enhance of 30 per cent. That equates to a mean of $1.57 a month.
- A sanitary sewer price enhance of 10.2 per cent. That equates to a mean of $4.60 a month.
Those will increase add as much as $21.40 monthly, or $256.80 a 12 months.
“One of council’s key priorities is asset management focused on long-term sustainable service delivery, and this proposal lays out a clear path to ensuring the sustainability of our infrastructure in a measured way,” Dixon stated.
The metropolis famous that included within the evaluation is a possible change in water prices by way of an inclining price mannequin.
The metropolis stated water that’s deemed important, reminiscent of for cooking and showering, has a decrease price, whereas water used for extra discretionary functions, reminiscent of landscaping or water options, has the next price to encourage conservation.
The report additionally contains worth comparisons towards different municipalities.
“The data shows residents, overall, pay less than most regional comparisons,” the town stated.
“And in terms of electrical, the report shows Penticton residents pay less than Fortis BC customers and that under proposal rates would be in the middle of the pack when compared to other Okanagan communities.”
The metropolis additionally stated that council will likely be requested to direct employees to extend utility charges by an interim 5 per cent whereas the evaluation is being accomplished.
Council conferences in Penticton are out there on the town’s web site.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
