Nanaimo User Rates Increase In 2016

NEWS RELEASE 
Distributed November 24, 2015

Council sets new 2016 user rates for 
water, sewer and garbage collection

During its meeting held November 23, 2015, Council set new water, sewer and garbage collection rates to support long-term asset management requirements as outlined in the City's 2015-2019 Financial Plan. Adopted by Council on May 4, 2015, the City's Financial Plan proposed annual increases to the water and sewer user rates on January 1st of each year. Revenues collected through theses increases assist the City in paying for costs incurred during the long-term replacement of fixed assets, including water supply and distribution assets and sanitary sewer assets.

An increase of 7.5 percent will be applied to water rates in 2016. This will be an increase of $31.00 per single family home (based on an average consumption of 200 gallons/day). The annual cost of water for a single family home will become $444.36.

Sewer rates will increase by 5 percent (equivalent to $5.61 per single family home) in 2016. This will bring the annual cost for a single family home sewer fees to $117.89.

Solid waste collection rates will increase by 1 percent (equivalent to $1.00 per single family home) for residential and non-residential units in 2016. The annual cost to a single family home will be $100.75 for solid waste collections fees.

"Asset management is one of the six priorities identified in the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan. Increased user fees are part of a long-term strategy to ensure there are adequate funds available to renew water and sewer infrastructure when it eventually reaches the end of its life cycle."  -  Diane Hiscock City of Nanaimo
The overall impact of these user rate increases amounts to $37.61 for a typical single family home, an increase of 6% over 2015. These new rates will come into effect January 1, 2016.