The Blue Mountains council has approved a significant reduction to the fee the town charges when a resident sets up a new water account.
At its committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 24, council approved a staff recommendation to reduce the water administrative fee from $105 to $35. The town charges the fee when a new resident opens an account for water services with the town.
The town recently held a public meeting to receive comments and concerns about the proposed 2025 fees and charges bylaw. The town received one comment questioning the $105 fee for a new account.
In response, staff recommended an amendment to the bylaw to lower the fee to $35. Monica Quinlan, the town’s director of finance, said the $105 fee had been implemented when town staff would have to attend a property to read a water meter to get an accurate reading when a new account was being set up.
Quinlan explained that in recent years the town has converted to online water meters that send data readings to the town and staff no longer have to attend to read a meter – except in a few situations where meter switches have not yet happened.
“The $35 fee seems much more reasonable,” Quinlan told council. “The additional $70 was somewhat punitive and not necessary.”
The change will mean a loss of revenue for the water department. The town had more than 340 account changes in 2024 that resulted in more than $35,000 in revenue being collected.
The committee of the whole decision will come to council’s regular meeting on March 10 for final ratification.