Residents in some areas of Portage la Prairie started receiving revised water bills.

The City of Portage la Prairie began issuing new bills last Friday for Area 3 in Portage, north of the railway tracks. Waterworks Committee chair Wayne Wall says the revised bills reflect ones originally issued in August, with a due date of Sept. 6.

The city switched to a new water meter reader system earlier this year, and software compatibility issues led to some errors in billing.

"We believe we have that all rectified now," Councillor Wall says. "A lot of these Area 3 bills seem to have a lot of credits on them."

There has been some confusion for residents in reading the revised bills in Area 3, Wall says, and determining whether it's a credit. "It doesn't say credit beside the amount, it will just show a minus sign beside the number on the bill," he explains.

Revised bills for Area 1, south of Saskatchewan Ave., have yet to be issued. Wall says the original bills were sent out a month later than Area 3, and expects it will still take more time for city staff to issue them. He isn't sure of an exact timeline.

"Staff at city hall are still working on getting those Area 1 bills out," says Wall. "But from then on, I think it will be clear sailing."