Water rates will be increasing in the Municipality of North Norfolk. Mayor Neil Christoffersen explains why.


Neil Christoffersen"When we do our budget we look at how much, obviously, the revenue is, opposed to our expenses. The expenses keep going up, so the water rates have to be adjusted accordingly. And we just can't up the water rates. We have to go through a whole approval system with the Municipal Board. And that's called a water rate study."

He adds, "We have to go through and document the reasons why we want to have an increase and what are the things that we are looking at doing. And to recapture some of the costs that we have spent, and any capital projects that we are anticipating we have to come up with a formula for increased water rates over the next three or four years, then forward that to the Public Utilities Board for their approval."

Christoffersen says they're waiting to hear from the Utilities Board. He notes they factored in and excluded the amounts from the recent changes in the Public Sector Accounting Board rules. But the real and actual cost is what they're trying to recover. Unlike other municipalities, North Norfolk did not have to increase their rates as substantially.

He says first reading's been given to the by-law to increase the water rates after they accepted the study and the rate increases on their level, based on the information from the consultants' information. Once the by-law's had first reading, it goes to the Public Utilities Board. If it's not accepted, they then will proceed to make adjustments.