Council to discuss mandatory water use restrictions
Administrator | Aug 09, 2016 | Comments 18
Mayor Robert Quaiff
Prince Edward County County may look at difficult decisions in mandatory water use restrictions.
Mayor Robert Quaiff has called a special council meeting for Thursday morning at Shire Hall to deal with the severe drought conditions for the County and region.
Quinte Conservation declared the Level 3 Low Water condition for the area last week due to lack of rain.
Mayor Quaiff said Quinte Conservation will make a presentation and council could be facing difficult decisions that might be precedent setting in the province. He notes it is reported the County requires about 100mm of rain (not all at once) to bring it back to a Level 1 water condition.
Filed Under: Local News
Don’t blush, Share a flush is a California saying but it would be a good practice for the County to promote.
Interesting meeting indeed. Every rural councilor connected in any manner to bulk water being delivered to themselves or family or business will have to declare a pecuinary interest.
Thanks Mark. The Mayor’s comment that lowering bulk water rates will be under discussion is interesting. Yes, all should be done to assist rural residents suffering a dreaded drought. All should be done as well to assist urban families severely stretched to pay water bills that are near the highest in Canada! The whole scenario raises the debate of how the municipal water system should be funded. Apparently it is essential to all ratepayers.
I understand rural people are in a bad situation. I could support a temporary reduction of bulk water rates if the urban users who are paying dearly and some cannot afford one of the largest water fees in the country get a reduction as well. This Council set water & wastewater issues as a priority. Still waiting.
Talk of reducing bulk water rates completely flies in the face of conservation. Urban users paying through the teeth rely on those sales in hope rates do not increase 8 percent every year.
I understand the hardships on both sides. I would have a holding tank rather than dump half the water away.
Gary,I believe some of my taxes go to the upkeep of your sewer and water.How would like to pay over a hundred dollars for a load and in some wells loose over half of it.You can just turn on a tap and presto you have water with no worries.
I wonder if this severe drought will provide pause on plans for a play splash pad.
Obviously you are unaware of what urban water bills total or what costed services they contain that assist rural folks in being able to access bulk water.
Great idea Fred.As for Gary comment the country people are paying more for water than town people and I am not complaining. Maybe you should move to the country and see what it is like.
But Fred, if you do that you risk doubling the population.
If you double up and shower together it will save water as well.
isn’t it common sense that when it’s a extremely dry summer like this that ppl should conserve period? water needs to come from somewhere no matter if u r in town or it and if we aren’t getting any rain it will run out eventually. I’ve been conserving for 2 months now. every summer I do anyway but this yr even more. I’m not sure we should be disputing who pays for what and who pays more. I think the only issue in my mind is everyone use common sense and conserve. don’t leave taps running don’t have long showers don’t do extra loads of laundry (wait for a full load) don’t water lawns and wash cars. etc etc. use rain Barrels to catch what little rain we do have and use for watering gardens etc. every bit helps and really isn’t that much effort
It is not a time to discount bulk water haulage. If anything in order to encourage conservation the price would be raised. The water should carry the same waste water charges as levied upon urban users. There should also be assurances that the water is going for life sustaining needs and not for swimming pools etc.
Gary, it’s late I’m tired so sorry if I misunderstand your post… I read it as Rural residents are draining the ‘town’ water the urban residents are footing the bill for? Don’t rural residents have to pay to have that water delivered out to their houses to fill their wells? Don’t rural residents pay taxes towards the water and wastewater infrastructure and receive no benefits from it? wait, I’m a rural taxpayer… I agree with you, charge us more when we need water and shift the excess taxes we pay for Urban service deducted from our taxes.. I’m cool with that idea
Gary, “town water” is a user-pay system. If the rural residents are paying less then the townies then why not jump on that bandwagon? Buy a truck and a water tank and a pump and all the hoses and fittings that are needed. Drive out to the bulk dispensing location, wait in line, drop in a handful of loonies, fill your tank and drive home. Just remember not to let any of your bulk water flow down the sewer because if there is any savings in the bulk water rate it is reflected in the fact that the rural users aren’t flushing their water into the town wastewater treatment system.
What??
I hope the discussion covers the broader impacts including the enormous rural bulk usage upon the urban ratepayers paying the bills.