Residents in the District of Invermere should plan to spend a bit more on water this year, as both the metered and flat rate for water edge up.
At its most recent meeting, Invermere council agreed to raise the flat fee for water use which residents pay twice a year by $10, bringing the cost to $170 per year. The metered rate for water will also go up by five cents per cubic metre, or 1,000 litres.
District director of finance Karen Cote says the average family will pay about $20 more per year because of the increase.
It’s estimated the district will pull in an extra $35,000 for its water fund.
Cote says the district’s water fund fell short of its expected budget last year, and this year’s planned costs would leave only $1,000 of reserve cash.
The change takes effect April 1, and will show up on ratepayers’ fall bill.
“It not an unacceptable increase, especially compared to a lot of the other neighbouring constituencies,” councillor Greg Anderson, told council before it unanimously approved the increase.
