In 2022, the District of Tumbler Ridge collected $461,000 in user fees for water. Those rates have been the same for the last number of years.
In a report to council, Interim CAO Aleen Torraville writes: “Typically, user rates fund the operating expenditures for the fund and parcel tax revenue is utilized for future capital projects or reserves that will maintain the infrastructure.”
She says that operating expenses in 2022 were $578,351.07. That’s $117,351.07 more than the user rates collected.
“While the water fund had a surplus of $94,173.54,” says Torraville, “this surplus is significantly less than the $237,875 collected in parcel taxes.”
The plan is to increase the amount collected for water over the next few years, starting in 2024, with a ten percent increase, which would continue over the next four years. “This would bring user fees in line with the water fund.”
This is based, she says, on the Community Charter, which requires Council to adopt a balanced budget for each fund (General, Water, and Sewer). “Council cannot approve a deficit. These increases will align the user rates to the operating expense and allow for parcel tax revenue to be placed in a water capital reserve fund.”
This was discovered too late to change the water budget for 2023, so the increases will go into effect in 2024.
In addition, council rose from a closed meeting and reported a 13 percent increase to sewer fees, though no more details on this are available at press time.
Trent is the publisher of Tumbler RidgeLines.
