Greater Vernon’s water rates structure has been reversed and that has some politicians boiling.
Instead of adopting a recommended rates structure from the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee, the Regional District of North Okanagan board voted to change the terms of the bylaw.
“The spread between residential and commercial customers becomes larger,” said Akbal Mund, who, along with director Bob Spiers, opposed adoption.
“There are more residential costumers than commercial so we are penalizing residential.”
The rate changes adopted Wednesday include:
Domestic use from 40 to 80 cubic metres — $1.59 to $1.58
Domestic use of more than 80 cubic metres — $2.32 to $2.37
Non-domestic — $1.67 to $1.58
GVAC had recently gone against a staff report on rates and that was a mistake, says director Bob Fleming, who also sits at GVAC.
“The staff proposal was well thought out and was created to keep the changes to an overall minimum, a two per cent increase to rates,” he said.
However, Fleming says members of GVAC amended the staff proposal.
“We didn’t have time to consider the implications. The main result is higher water users pay substantially more — nine to 10 per cent. It skewed things,” he said.
As a result, Fleming introduced a motion Wednesday to amend the GVAC recommendation to reflect the original staff proposal.
Only Greater Vernon directors voted on the motion Wednesday.
Mund denies the GVAC recommendation was based on a lack of details.
“The information is there,” he said.
Spiers insists there shouldn’t be a difference between how residential, commercial and industrial water users are treated.
“With a drop of potable water, you should pay the same,” adding that a residential customer using more than 80 cubic metres will see the cost climb eight per cent.
“You want to talk about rate shock, that’s what you got.”
A process will begin in May to review rates.
“We need the context and the implications. Rates may go up and they may go down but there needs to be a discussion,” said director Mike Macnabb.