Mattawa, prepare for a higher water bill.
Council has agreed to raise the water rates for 2025 by 3 per cent. Mattawa’s CAO, Paul Laperriere, noted, “The current average water billing is roughly $850 per year for flat billing on a two-bedroom home.” In that case, the 3 per cent increase amounts to an additional $25.5 per year.
Flat water bills are issued in two instalments, March and August. Metered water bills are issued in March, May, August and October.
In 2019, Mattawa council adopted the Water Capitol Financial Plan, which was prepared by the municipality’s auditors, Baker Tilly. The plan recommended the 3 per cent increase, and council felt no need to stray from the course.
It’s part of a ten-year plan to ensure the water and wastewater facilities are properly maintained. The water and wastewater systems are operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), which has kept the town abreast of what maintenance needs to be done.
Over the next four years the town anticipates spending around half a million dollars for upgrades to the water system. Some big-ticket items include some new generators for the wastewater treatment plants, which run around $80,000 each, and upgraded electrical systems at a few treatment plants, which could ring in at $50,000 per site.
To offset these upcoming maintenance costs, the municipality intends to apply for a provincial grant under the Health and Safety Water Stream, which will fund 73 per cent of water infrastructure projects to a maximum of $30 million.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.