Hamilton’s water and wastewater rates are on the rise again in 2022.
The rate budget, presented to city councillors on Monday, calls for an increase of 4.9 per cent or just over $39 for the average homeowner.
Acting director of water Nick Winters says the budget recognizes that “we need to do work” on the entire system.
“Historically, we’ve been underinvesting in our stormwater infrastructure,” Winters says, adding that the city has actually deferred some water and wastewater projects to get to some priority work on the stormwater system.
“The budget we’ve put in front of you today says, let’s ask for what we need to do the work we need to do in 2022,” Winters says.
In addition to a 4.9 per cent increase in water rates next year, staff’s presentation forecasts increases of more than six per cent each year, from 2023 to 2026.
Councillors approved the rate hike on Monday, which comes amid discussions about the need of create a separate stormwater fee to fund investments that would protect the city against the future impacts of climate change.
That debate is scheduled to take place during a Dec. 6 meeting of the public works committee, and Ward 8 Coun. John Paul Danko is a vocal supporter of the idea.
“That cost should be shifted to those that use the system,” Danko says, “which is the commercial and industrial part of the side that currently doesn’t pay their fair share, particularly on the stormwater side.”
Through October, there had been 21 wastewater bypass events at the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant this year.
Winters indicates that number is almost double the annual average of 12 bypass events.
It was also confirmed during Monday’s rate budget meeting that targeted dredging in Chedoke Creek is scheduled to begin in July 2023.
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