The City of Winkler has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for an increase to its water and sewer rates.
Aside from water rate increases, residents have seen on their bills related to hikes passed on by the Pembina Valley Water Co-op, Winkler has not reviewed its utility rates in ten years.
After a review was on the horizon for a while, the city recently took the plunge and enlisted the help of Associated Engineering and worked with Engineer Ken Anderson. "He helped us out with a new rate structure and how to arrive at a new total cost," said David Martens, Winkler's Director of Corporate Services.
City Manager Jody Penner said they have found the city has been very stable in recouping the costs for its operation. "I think that through just operational efficiencies we've been able to maintain that rate over the past ten years."
"The increase that we see coming now is because there's a completely different process that is planned for this new facility, and so that's going to affect operating costs and that's why we see it after this change," added Penner.
The proposed rate would cover existing utilities and the operation costs for the new wastewater treatment facility, noted Martens.
The rate proposed to the PUB does not include the water treatment plant expansion, however, said Martens. "So that's on the horizon as well. It will probably happen within the next few years, but that's why we said, 'we have to review these rates again within the next few years.'"
Meanwhile, Martens notes the current Service Charge of $18.15 will increase to $27.50. "We have a lot of fixed costs on the utility side that would not change whether we would grow or not. For example, the cost to heat the utility shop, or some of the admin costs here in our department, those are some fixed costs, they are always the same. And that's is all incorporated into that Service Charge."
Penner noted wherever they can, Council strives to not surprise people with big increases. "So, we generally, not just with this, but in other areas, whether it's development fees or things like that, we try to step our way into increases to try to prevent some of that sticker shock."
Although the proposed interim rates may be approved for a three-year period; a five-year horizon was shown to project the utility into a more stable operating period. The intent is to minimize a drastic rate revision in three to four years when the utility is more stable and has more accurate historical operation costs.
The current rates and proposed rates, courtesy of the City of Winkler are provided below.
