Halifax Water wants to change controversial stormwater charge
'Most customers won't see a lot of difference,' says utility's chief financial officer
Halifax Water wants to change the way residential customers are charged for stormwater costs and introduce a tiered system, rather than bill homeowners the same amount.
"One of the pieces of feedback we received is 'I've got a small house and a small driveway; it doesn't really seem fair that I'm paying the same amount as that person over there who [has] a big house and a big driveway,"' said Cathie O'Toole, Halifax Water's chief financial officer.
Residential customers currently pay $39 a year. There was an outcry from people who don't use city water when the bills were first sent out, even though the charge is for runoff from properties that flows into Halifax Water's drainage systems.
Now, Halifax Water wants to move to tiers based on what it calls "impervious" or paved areas, which is says will make stormwater charges more fair.
Utility asking UARB for direction
On Friday, the utility filed a cost of service and rate design application with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. It is not seeking an increase in rates but is looking for direction from the public and the board on how to best distribute stormwater costs.
Halifax Water said after two years of implementing and administering the charge, it reviewed the current system, looking at industry best practices, the fairest way to apply the charge and how to improve customer service and processes around it.
It's not about asking for a bigger pie, but how best to distribute the pie among customers, Halifax Water says.
"Most customers won't see a lot of difference," O'Toole said.
She said it will be the fall of 2016 before Halifax Water applies for any stormwater rate increases.