Re: “Water consumption down, rates up,” Nov. 21.
The story about a “modest” 1.8 per cent increase in Capital Regional District water rates failed to mention the sewer surcharges tacked onto these water bills, which on my latest water bill from the City of Victoria amounted to $230 for the four summer months. I now pay more for sewage surcharges than I pay for actual water use.
Victoria misses no chance to lay the brunt of our unnecessary sewage treatment project costs squarely on the shoulders of water users, including those who use extra water in the summer for gardens. Saanich, at least, is honest enough to base its sewage surcharges on winter water usage only, so as not to unfairly burden gardeners whose extra water use in summer has no impact on sewage treatment capacity.
In two years, Victoria has increased its basic water rate by nearly 20 per cent and its surcharges for sewage treatment have gone up by about 45 per cent. And you can expect more of the same.
We have already spent $7 million in consultants’ fees for the second sewage treatment proposal, and we haven’t yet put a shovel in the ground. As Saanich Coun. Vic Derman observed the other day, it is unsettling indeed to think that we can spend this much on consultants when we are told we cannot afford a much less expensive cost/benefit or environmental-impact assessment to see whether this mega-project will really provide a net benefit to our environment.
Graydon Gibson
Victoria
