New water plant could mean higher costs for C.B.S., says mayor
Petty Harbour-Long Pond water plant starting operations mid-June
The mayor of Conception Bay South is concerned that opening the new water treatment plant in Petty Harbour-Long Pond will mean higher water costs for his community.
Communities divide the costs of operating a water treatment plant based on how much water they use. Presently, CBS uses water from the Bay Bulls Big Pond plant, which it shares with Mount Pearl, Paradise, Portugal Cove-St. Philip's and the west end of St. John's.
The City of St. John's announced Monday the new water treatment plant, located in Kilbride, would be starting operations later this month. It was built on the location of the former plant, which was taken offline in 2002.
But Mayor Ken McDonald says when the new treatment plant opens later this month, St. John's west will use a smaller share of the Bay Bulls water, meaning higher prices for C.B.S.
If that cost escalates even more just for the simple treatment and the maintenance, our costs are going to go up much higher again.- C.B.S. Mayor Ken McDonald
Rising water costs are not new for C.B.S. The town has been increasing its water charges for the past five years; between 2013 and 2014 water costs for residents jumped by 38 per cent.
"Even if you were using the same amount your cost was going up by 38 per cent," said McDonald. "So if that cost escalates even more just for the simple treatment and the maintenance, our costs are going to go up much higher again."
Residents currently pay $440 a year for water, or $1.20 a day. The Town of C.B.S. pays a yearly total $2.5 million for its treated water.
"When you work it out like that it doesn't seem much, but when it's constantly going up it adds up when you're looking at your bill at the beginning of the year," said McDonald.
Water meters in the future?
McDonald said he won't know how much the new treatment plant will impact water costs until he knows how much it will affect water use in St. John's.
However, McDonald added it isn't fair that all households pay the same price for water, despite using different amounts. He thinks that eventually the town will have to start using water meters to track usage.
"Right now, if you have a single senior living in their own home, they're paying as much as a family of six, which really doesn't seem fair," said McDonald.
"It's the only way to really control the amount of water people use. Instead of running a tap and just letting it run or washing your vehicle every day, people will think twice if they were on a meter and paying for it on the meter."
The City of St. John's will be hosting a public information session on June 10 to answer questions about the new Petty Harbour-Long Pond water treatment plant.
Activities like wood cutting, fires, camping, operating motorized equipment, boating, fishing and swimming are all restricted in the region's watershed areas.