Residents in Oakville and surrounding area will see a 4% increase in their water rates, effective April 1st of next year.

The hike was approved this morning at the RM of Portage la Prairie Council meeting. Reeve Kam Blight says the water's from the Cartier Regional Water Coop, and is passed on by the RM of Portage. He explains how the increase happened.

"April 1st of 2018, the Cartier Regional Water Coop approved a 1.6% rate increase, which we did not pass along at that time," he says, "And just recently, they approved an additional 2.4% for April 1st of 2019, so going forward, we're just passing those increases on to the water users."

Blight outlines the impact of the increase.

"Someone using about 8000 gallons in one quarter would be about $5.80 increase," he says, "Essentially we're just passing along the rate increases that came from the Cartier Regional Water Coop. And if we don't, then we put ourselves in a bit of a negative position. We still have all the maintenance and repair costs, so we had to make sure we're in a positive position, going forward, so at the very least, we had to pass along any increase that comes through."

The Report to Council's here.