Duane Hicks
While council hasn’t decided yet whether it wants to see water meters installed in local homes by 2010, the town will give a break to those who have to run their taps during the winter to keep their pipes from freezing.
In response to a letter received by council from Third Street East resident A.M. McDiarmid, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown told council Monday night that if the installation of residential water meters is approved, some kind of adjustment for “bleeding” taps in the winter months will be taken into consideration when establishing water user fees and charges.
Brown noted that in Kenora, which because of the bedrock requires many of its residents to keep their taps running for about half the year to prevent their water lines from freezing, they reduce the cost per cubic metre of water by six and eight percent.
“You still pay a fixed charge, but you get a reduction in the amount of water you’re bleeding,” he explained, adding the bleeding in Kenora usually runs from Nov. 1 until the end of April.
Brown said Kenora has found that since it implemented residential water meters, the city’s water demand has been cut in half.
Brown added while council here has not decided on whether the town should go ahead with water meters, he felt a decision should be made sometime next year.
And if they do go ahead with it, to put it out to tender in time to see the meters installed in 2010.
