Valemount approved for universal water metering
By Abigail Popple, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, RMG
The Village of Valemount is among the 19 communities receiving funding from the Ministry of Housing’s Water Meter Pilot Program, the Village announced in a May 15th press release. The Village does not yet have a set date for when the program will begin, according to CAO Anne Yanciw.
In an email to The Goat, Yanciw said the program will result in more fairness in billing for water use and improved water conservation and monitoring, among other benefits.
For example, a universal metering system will help the Village detect leaks, Yanciw said. Meters will be located inside the home and will primarily detect leaks on a resident’s property – meaning it will be up to the property owner to pay for repairs – but residents will be able to check the meter themselves and see if their water use looks unusually high.
The Village does not have a roll out plan for the program set in stone, but there will likely be a grace period where property owners can see their water use while billing is still at a flat rate, according to Yanciw. That way, property owners may be able to detect leaks before being billed for the extra water use.
Metering will apply to both residents and businesses, Yanciw added. Currently, businesses also pay a flat rate for water use, but it is based on an estimate of their water use – that rate may increase or decrease once metering is in place, she said.
The program may help the Village access grant funding for other water infrastructure projects, according to Yanciw.
“Demonstrating responsible water provision through metering helps the Village be successful on grant applications for essential future water infrastructure,” she said. “This could include a well to improve the resilience of the water supply, a reservoir to replace the 1977 reservoir, a replacement pumping station and so on.”
Additionally, the Village hopes to encourage more water conservation, Yanciw said. According to her, Valemount is projected to no longer meet fire flow standards by 2030 based on current water use rates – not only does this pose a threat to residents’ safety, but it could make insurance prices skyrocket, she said.
“In Valemount, average water usage equals 797.8 L per person per day – more than double the national average,” Yanciw wrote. “On average, Canadians who live in homes that are metered use 39% less water than those who live in homes that are not.”
The Village has not yet released a request for proposals for the water meters, so there is no set date for when the program will begin, according to Yanciw – but hopefully, the program will tackle high water use and help the Village access funding for a new reservoir, she said.
“We are very close to not meeting fire flow standards, which means we’re going to have to increase our water storage with another reservoir,” Yanciw said. “If we build another reservoir, then access to grant funding is very important. But we may be able to delay needing the reservoir if we conserve more water.”
