The water charge is based on the amount of water you use as measured by the water meter.  The measurement is in cubic meters.  The current rate for water is $1.47 per cubic meter.

The sewer portion is based on the amount of water you use since most of the water ends up as sewage.  The money is used to collect, transport and treat sewage so that it meets environmental requirements before it is released to the Red River.  The current rate for sewer is $0.88 per cubic meter.

The service charge is a flat rate of $21.32 every quarter.  It covers customer service, billing, postage and upkeep of the system.  If your billing period is less/more than a full quarter, your service charge will vary slightly.

Prior to vacating your premises, please make arrangements for a final reading to be done on your water meter.  You can call 785-4903 to set up a date and time that is convenient for you.  Although the water meters can be read from the street, for final readings we prefer to take the reading off the inside meter so we can also do a quick inspection of the meter to ensure everything is functioning properly.  We will also require your new forwarding address so we can send you your final billing.

I just moved into a residence and I have received a water bill.  What is this for?

Every residence is required to have on deposit with the City a meter deposit which is an amount equivalent to a minimum bill based on your meter size.  When you move into a residence, you are billed the meter deposit which is held on file at the City.  When you move out of the residence the amount of the meter deposit is credited back to you on your final invoice.

Almost all of the water meters within the City have been replaced in the past year with new, radio frequency controlled meters.  Because of this, chances are the high water bill is not being caused by a malfunctioning water meter.  There are a couple of tests you can run yourself before calling the City:

1.         On the face of the meter where the numbers are located, there is a separate dial with either a red line or a red triangle in it.  This red line/triangle is called a water flow indicator.  If you are not running any water in the house and you check the water flow indicator, it should not be moving.  If it IS moving, it means there is water flowing through the meter and out somewhere in the house – either a leaky tap or toilet.  Experience suggests that more often than not it is a toilet that is the culprit.  Toilets can have very silent leaks where water is constantly running through them. 

2.         To check your toilet for leaks, before you go to bed at night put a few drops of food coloring in the tank at the back of the toilet.  Do not flush the toilet overnight.  In the morning, check the bowl of the toilet.  If the colored water is now in the bowl, you know there has been water leaking from the tank into the bowl.  You need to get this repaired in order to reduce your water usage.

3.         Dripping taps are usually quite obvious and often are a simple fix.  Replacement of washers or other small parts may solve the problem.

** Note:  1 cubic meter = 1000 litres = 220.1 gallons 

You can keep track of your usage by taking daily readings for a few days.  Take the readings at the same time of the day for 2 or 3 days in a row to see what your average consumption is over a 24 hour period.   Abnormal readings could indicate leaks and money down the drain if they are not repaired.

What is pre-authorized payment?

Pre-authorized payment means paying your water bills automatically from your bank account.

How do I apply for pre-authorized payment?

You will need to complete an application form requesting the pre-authorized payments.  Forms are available at the Civic Office, 200 Eaton Avenue.  A void cheque is required to be attached to your application.

Yes.  You will continue to receive your water bill as usual.  It will tell you the amount of money we will withdraw from your bank account.  Automatic withdrawals will be taken from the account on the 5^th of the month that the bill is due (ie the bill issued in September will be due approximately October 20^th and the automatic withdrawal will occur on October 5^th). 

Yes.  You can stop pre-authorized payment by giving us 30 days’ written.  You will have to come down to the Civic Office and complete the bottom portion of your original application form to have the payments stopped.

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