Common Council taking the steps to approve an increase to the flat rate of water, effective next year.
Bill Edwards is the city’s water commissioner, he says the increase will amount to roughly $72 dollars per household in 2016.
He says he hopes the rate increase will not exceed $1400 annually and hopes to eventually see a drop in rates when the debt of the city starts to go down.
Edwards says the rate increases over the next four years will help pay for the new $229 million dollar water treatment project, which is set to begin construction in February.
The federal government and the province will each pay one quarter of the treatment project.
The flat rate being suggested for 2016 will amount to $1224.
Common Council will meet again within the next few weeks to finalize the increase and make changes if necessary.
