Proposed Universal Water Metering in Williams Lake Not A Tax Grab Says Cobb

Universal water metering will not be put in place in Williams Lake unless a grant application that Council authorized the submission of this week is successful.

Mayor Walt Cobb said the proposal for water metering is not about money at all, but getting grants.

“If we don’t put the water meters in we won’t be eligible for the grant for the treatment plant so it’s a two prong system that they’re working with and one is contingent on the other,” he said.

“If the federal government makes it a rule that we have to have the treatment plant and if we don’t have stuff in place to get the grant money then the taxpayers will have to foot the bill because the government is going to force us to do it.”

New guidelines under the federal government Cobb adds require having a process of conservation in place before applying for a water treatment plant.

“The only difference it would make at the end of the day is if you’re somebody that overwaters or like I know some people who leave their water running all night; well then those people are going to pay extra,” he said.

“But for the normal usage and what not it will be a base rate and then over the limited consumption then you would pay extra.”

Universal water metering in Williams Lake is expected to cost $5 million dollars with a new water treatment plant estimated up to $15 million.

Cobb said he expects that the City will know if they are successful on the grant application that can provide up to 90% of the costs associated with universal water metering by mid-summer 2019.

“Probably not,” Cobb said when asked if the City would still be considering water metering had it not been a requirement by the federal government.

“But it is a conservation method as well because once people realize that they’re using too much water or paying over the amount they’ll conserve, and I think water is like gold. In all good conscience, we have to learn how to conserve our water as well.”