Committee approves water and sewer rate hike

OTTAWA – The city’s Environment Committee has unanimously passed a 73 per cent hike in sewer and water rates over the next decade as well as a 6 per cent increase in 2012, equal to about $0.75 per week for the average household.

The plan also includes a push for three years’ advanced warning for road work. Environment Committee Chair Maria McRae said residents should know what sewer and water repair and construction work will be done well in advance in order to understand the need for such hefty hikes.  

The committee also approved a 10-year plan that would see $2.1 billion worth of work between now and the early 2020’s.

Two amendments were added to the budget asking for reports from City Staff that would be expected in the third quarter. The first will see a review of the fees and charges associated with commercial use of the waste water system where there are discrepancies between the approximately 75 different agreements under the City’s Sewer Use By-Law.

“It’s almost surreal in this day of record-keeping that we could have different groups paying different amounts,” said McRae.

The other amendment asks for a report from City Staff on the feasibility of multi-year budgets, something McRae had specifically asked for.

“If you have the technology that can take us out x-number of years, showing us what roads need to be fixed — outside of emergencies — why can’t we look at that long-term,” she said, referring to the question she posed to staffers.

At Tuesday’s meeting City Staff made it clear that will be both possible and cost-effective in the long run even if the budgets must be re-approved annually because it allows planners and residents to know what’s coming.  

“That predictability is, we know from speaking to residents, is very important,” said Marian Simulik. “It also allows staff to go ahead and formulate a longer term capital plan so that those works can be started well in advance and progress as quickly as possible.”

The budget met little opposition from either councillors or public delegates and McRae said it is likely due to a better public understanding of costs and necessity.

“At the end of the day people want this important commodity well looked after,” said McRae. “I’m happy to say water is the new oil when you look at that as a commodity that people in this planet don’t have enough access to good, pure, clean water, yet in Ottawa we do have that.”

She said there are many projects on the books for repairs and expansions in 2012 and if the budget passes at City Council Wednesday she said residents will notice construction begin.