New water rates took effect in the Town of Kindersley as of January 1, 2020 and look to streamline the billing process as a new flat rate is introduced.

The flat rate’s will replace the tiered rates that residents and businesses were previously paying.

Residential water consumption will be based on usage at $5.50 per cubic metre. This charge will still coincide with the monthly standard water connection charge, which has decreased from $25.75 to $17.25.

As stated, the new system and rates looks to streamline the billing process and Audrey Hebert, CAO for the Town of Kindersley, shared other changes residents can expect to see on their invoices.

“We used to have sewer based on consumption and sewer connection fees on the bill, those have been removed and it’s just the flat rate now, which will make it a lot easier for people to read as it’s all just based on consumption and then of course the monthly standard water connection charge.”

Billing, which used to occur quarterly, will now be sent out every two months, Hebert stated residents will, depending on which billing cycle, may see water bills two or three months in a row until everyone is switched over the new billing system.

“We are going to close out the old billing system as we introduce the new bi-monthly schedule. So what that means is that there will be some overlap. Someone might get their last bill on the old cycle, which may have ended in November or December, but then they may also get a bill the next month accounting for usage in January and February.”

Hebert said by March, the old billing systems invoices will be complete and residents will then receive just one bill, every two months.

The bi-monthly billing will allow town employees to better look back at recent water usage if the resident believes there are inaccuracies as well.

Commercial water rates will run much in the same as residential with the new streamlined billing system. The flat rate however, will be $6.50 per cubic metre, oppose to the $5.50 per cubic metre for residential.