PUC sets 2022 rates. You're going to pay a lot more for water

The price of water in Sault Ste. Marie will increase six per cent in 2022, directors of the Public Utilities Commission decided Wednesday night.

When the previously decided electricity increase (0.1 per cent) and sewage surcharge are factored in, a typical PUC bill will rise 2.2 per cent effective New Year's Day.

Last year, the PUC board approved a combined increase of just 1.2 per cent to provide relief to pandemic-stretched customers.

PUC customers are billed monthly and bills are due when rendered.

Class A water rates paid by most customers consist of a monthly basic service charge plus metered water rates.

The basic service charge will now be as follows:

• all services less than 1½ inch (37 mm) - $33.79
• 1½ inch (37 mm) - $96.10
• 2 inches (50 mm) - $96.10
• 3 inches (75 mm) - $129.28
• 4 inches (100 mm) - $159.98
• 6 inches (150 mm) - $184.42
• 8 inches (200 mm) - $237.45
• 10 inches (250 mm) - $312.75
• 12 inches (300 mm) - $367.86
• 18 inches (450 mm) - $550.67

As for metered water rates, 77.4 cents per cubic metre will be charged for the first 15 cubic metres for each one month period, 2.29 dollars per cubic metre for the next 250 cubic metres and 1.81 dollars per cubic metre for the remainder of water consumption.

The following cost increases were cited as reasons for the water bill hike:

• costs of chemicals for water treatment
• material costs
• labour costs
• costs to comply with government-legislated safety and water quality standards
• need for funds to maintain and expand the water system
• costs for infrastructure replacement resulting from municipal roadworks and aging infrastructure