Residential user hosed by CVRD water rates
Dear editor,
Regarding the CVRD water bill that I, as a residential homeowner, am receiving, I have a few questions. I understand that there are new rates for water consumption. Up to 15 M3 (cubic meters) there is a residential minimum monthly charge of $23.95 versus a commercial minimum monthly charge of $21.22. Why should a homeowner pay more than a business?
I try to be very frugal with my water consumption. Lawn brown, mellow yellow, rain barrel, the whole works. Yet, I wonder why I am bothering. The information flyer that the CVRD sent out stated that “you are billed according to how much water goes through the meter at your property.” On my latest two bills, the first, from December 2015 to March 2016 billed me $88.68 for 8.49 M3 consumed. That is $10.45/M3. From April to July 2016, I paid $95.80 for 49.46 M3 consumed. That is $1.94/M3. I am being billed way more per M3 than the reckless hoser who loads up his swimming pool, washes his truck and car, and waters the lawn until the driveway runs rivers.
The tanker trucks that fill up with water to deliver to dry wells in the Valley pay $1.17/M3. I might as well have a big tank on the property, disconnect from the CVRD “hose,” and pay less per M3 to have my water delivered by truck.
Where is the incentive for me to cut back on my water usage? Where is my “carbon credit” for low consumption? With these expensive water meters, the CVRD can only come up with a “minimum monthly charge” formula?
Surely, the CVRD computers today could come up with an algorithm that would precisely calculate, and bill, water consumption based on actual water consumption. Towns and cities do it with a variable mil rate and variable assessments. Why not the CVRD?
We all have to pay our fair share. But let’s make it our fair share.
Craig Freeman
Merville