Water utility to seek rate increase

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Rates for customers of the Yarmouth Water Utility could soon be going up.

Councillor Clifford Hood, chair of the utility, announced at last week's regular council meeting that the utility would be applying to the Utility Review Board (URB) for a rate increase.

"Everything goes up and it's been (three) years since we've had a rate increase in the water utility," he said when asked about the need for the increase.

Hood said it was too early to know what kind of increase the utility would seek. A study of the operation is to be conducted by professional consultants during the next few months and a recommendation will be formed based on the findings. Although he was hesitant to use any figure before the study is completed, Hood said initial calculations suggest the utility might need about a five per cent increase in revenue.

"Really that's what we hire the consultant to do," he said.

The utility's revenues for the past year actually went down, said Hood. He said he isn't certain of the reason why and he also isn't certain that it's a bad thing.

"I don't know why we have lower volumes (but) I hope it's because we're conserving water."

The last time a study was conducted on the water utility's rates was five years ago.