Halifax Water approved for rate increase
Posted Oct 31, 2022 04:38:40 PM.
The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has approved Halifax Water's application for a rate increase.
Based on the UARB's decision today, estimated rates for the average residential family will increase by approximately 3.6 per cent in December 2022 and 3.6 per cent in April 2023.
Halifax Water says the extra cash is needed to deal with “increased operating and capital costs resulting from aging infrastructure, ongoing environmental compliance, and growth within the municipality. “
“Today’s decision helps ensure we can continue to provide reliable service to our customers and the environment,” said the utility's general manager Cathie O’Toole.
“Even with the approval of the requested rate increases, the utility will still be operating at a deficit as inflationary pressures around items like fuel, chemical costs, and construction-related activities have continued to increase,”
Halifax Water operates on a break-even basis. “No profit component is built into the rates,” the utility stated.
This will be the first increase in water rates since 2016 and the first increase in stormwater rates since 2017.
