'Major' cuts needed for Corner Brook water treatment plant, says mayor

The mayor of Corner Brook says in order for the city to operate a new water treatment plant, big cuts may be necessary.

Mayor Charles Pender said running the new plant will cost an extra $1.5 million per year in new expenses.

Pender said services have already been "cut to the bone," and no one relishes the idea of a tax increase.
    
"So it has to be something major, and just to give people an idea ... the $1.2 — $1.5 million is pretty well equivalent to our snow-clearing budget," said Pender.

"It's not something we can just find in thin air."

According to Pender, Corner Brook uses much more water than the national average. That means higher costs given that the city has to treat every litre of water that residents use.

The high cost comes from the chemicals, electricity, and the different operating systems associated with the plant.

The city does charge a water levy, which Pender said was what the city used for the construction of the plant.

Pender said the same levy will be used towards the operation costs once the plant opens, however it will only cover part of it.

Exploring options

The city council is looking at different methods of paying for the plant's operation, as well as strategies to pay off the over $19-million debt that currently exists on the plant itself.

The city has seen a slight increase in its budget recently with the construction of new houses, however Pender said that isn't nearly enough.

"Twenty new houses will only bring us in roughly $60,000," he said.

The city is not considering the use of water meters since implementing them creates even more expense.

Pender said water meters would cost $600 per house which equates to over $6 million for the whole city.

He believes it would cost less to run the plant if people used less water.

"We've been saying to people, you have to find ways of cutting down on the water that you use," he said.

Corner Brook residents should know what, if anything, will be cut when the city budget is released on Dec. 15.