Greenwood, Aylesford utility users will see three-year series of increases

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register



Customers of the Greenwood Water Utility will see their rates go up following a decision by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

The water utility, which provides water service to 567 customers in the Village of Greenwood and 15 in the Sandy Court area of Aylesford, applied to the URB to raise its rates over a three-year period after conducting a study in August 2007. A public hearing was held in Greenwood on the application December 19, attended by 15 people - most of whom were there on behalf of the URB and Municipality of the County of Kings. Only two members of the public, representing the Greenwood Village Commission and the Central Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce, made presentations. Neither supported the proposed increases.

Approved increases for residential customers for each of the three years, assuming an average quarterly consumption of 11,721 gallons, are 13.1 per cent, 13.1 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively. After the adjustments are phased in, the monthly residential base charge (meter and consumption) will increase between $27.11 and $31.61.

For all other metered services, the proposed increases, based upon average consumption for each meter size, range from 14.4 per cent to 17.3 per cent in 2008/ 09, 14.8 per cent to 17.3 per cent in 2009/ 10 and 3.1 per cent for all meter sizes in 2010/ 11.

Kings County chief administrative officer Brian Smith reported the utility was asked for clarification relevant to its operations plan and schedule of capital improvements at the December hearing.

“The information provided satisfied the board and supported the utility’s application,” confirmed Smith after the approved rate increase was announced.

The utility’s supply for the Village of Greenwood is groundwater from two wells, treated with chlorine for disinfection and caustic soda for pH adjustment; prior to entering one of two reservoirs, each with a capacity of 350,000 imperial gallons. The Aylesford system consists of a single well, pressure tank, chlorine for disinfection and caustic soda system for pH adjustment.

The capital work identified for the Greenwood system includes upgrades to the wells, reservoirs and water treatment. The Aylesford recommendations include a new production well and treatment building. The utility has also initiated a long-term maintenance and replacement program of water mains. The costs associated with all of these projects are included in the rate study.