District of Invermere council last night (Dec. 11) voted to directed administrative staff to increase the municipality’s metered water rates for all multi-family units.

After a debate about exactly what types of multi-use residences to be included in a water utility rate amendment bylaw, council opted to omit basement suites but include strata owners, apartments, duplexes, three-plexes and four-plexes.

Fearing that including basement suites would create complications and serve as a deterrent to property owners legalizing their secondary suites, council voted four to one to exclude them. Coun. Paul Denchuk was the lone vote of opposition, as he felt all types of multi-use properties should be included if the district is to try and keep up with infrastructure costs.

District Director of Finance Karen Cote will now prepare a bylaw to charge a base flat fee ($90 bi-annually) to all multi-family units on but excluding basement suites.  The recommended increase to the metered rate will also be included in the bylaw.

Cote said after council’s direction on September 5 to take this step, letters were sent out to all multi-family units on record.

“There has been considerable feedback and opposition from the strata managers, strata owners, apartment owners, Columbia Garden Village and we have had one complaint (out of a potential 47) regarding the charge for a basement suite,” she reported.

“Currently we charge anywhere from $85-$465 bi-annually for a base water meter fee.  The proposed bylaw will be a $95 bi-annual ‘base’ fee for all residential units (i.e. stratas, apartments, suites, duplexes, three-plexes, four-plexes, and basement suites).  The argument for charging a flat fee versus a ‘per water meter fee’ was that inherently there is a base cost of providing water to a dwelling unit and includes the cost of maintaining the distribution lines, pressure reducing stations, the chlorine contact chamber, the water metering program, cross connection program, reservoirs, booster stations, etc.,” Cote stated to council.

“Out of the 47 known basement suites, this would garner an additional $8,930 in water revenue,” Cote noted.

Mayor Gerry Taft argued that charging property owners with secondary (often basement) suites more for water would simply create “one more incentive for people not to legalize their secondary suite.” He also noted that the district’s water metering program results in those who use the most water, paying the highest rates. A home with a secondary suite would be metered accordingly, so they already pay more than basic single family homes, he suggested.

The mayor also pointed out that Invermere utility users who may complain about the proposed increase need to realize they are paying less or the same than those on the east side of Lake Winderere.

Windermere water users get “basically untreated lake water” for a $24/month flat fee, “Which is pretty comparable to what we are charging.” Additionally, he said, Timber Ridge water users pay $75 a month (flat fee).

“I know it is an adjustment,” Taft said. “It is a big jump but on the same hand they’re not paying $75 a month.”

Taft said after the debate that the district can expect to receive “a stack of opposition letters.”

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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