City-wide water metering could be in store for Williams Lake homeowners.
This comes after Tuesday’s Committee of Whole Council meeting as Council considered provisional budget recommendations.
Councilor Scott Nelson says the universal water metering project would make way for a bigger ticket item-a water treatment plant.
“One of the most important things that we’re looking at right now is looking to ensure that our water supply is going to be there for the long-term and the indefinite period, and one of the things that we want to do is have a replacement service put into place over the next 5 to 8 years, and it’s about 15 million dollars for a new water treatment plant,” he says.
“As part of that requirement, they [provincial and federal governments] want us to put water meters in our community.”
Citywide water metering would cost $5 million dollars, and Nelson says that by starting now to look for funds they could get 90 percent ($4.5 million) of it covered.
He says that industry, apartments, and businesses already have water metering in place.
Council also endorsed a grant writer position and a projected tax increase of zero percent with any ‘minor’ tax increase going into road improvements.
Purchase of $1.2 million Ladder Truck Deferred to 2020
Council agreed that staff bring forward a policy for the revenue generated by the structure protection unit to be used for equipment replacement.
“It’s a large significant capital item,” Nelson said.
“Any given year the fire department will go out above and beyond their regular budget and raise between $200,000 to $400,000. Council feels that those funds should remain inside the fire department for capital replacement projects and that was the resolution that came on the floor tonight.”