Atikokan council eyes 4.5% increase to water/sewer bills

Atikokan council is agreeing to a 4.5 percent increase to water and sewer bills in the community.

That mirrors the recommendations of the town’s asset management plan, which suggests increases of 3.7% to water rates and 5.5% to sewer rates for the next 20 years.

That works out to a $50 increase, bringing residential bills to $1,150 for the year.

Mayor Rob Ferguson feels it is a fair increase.

“We need to maintain and fix our water and wastewater system,” says Ferguson.

The increase will provide an extra $78,685 for the sewer and water system.

Councillor Liz Shine says increasing rates addresses the need to keep the system in good shape and to have the system self-funded.

“It is part of our asset management plan, so it only makes sense that we’re following that,” says Shine.

“As well, if we didn’t mandate that we have to be self-sufficient, it was the government that’s bringing it down.”

The province has long hinted that municipalities should prepare for their water systems to be fully cost-recovered, but has yet to legislate the action.

“Nobody likes to see anything rise, but it’s a comfortable figure, and we have to work towards attaining self-sufficiency, so a little bit at a time,” says Councillor Jim Johnson.

Despite the increase, Atikokan’s rates remain among the lowest in northwestern Ontario.

Only five other communities have lower water and sewer costs.