Progress continues to be made in converting all of Thompson to metered water, with Neptune Technologies expecting to have completed 42 per cent of all residential buildings and 25 per cent of commercial meters by Sept. 3.
"Currently we have installed 1,400 of our meters," Neptune project leader Jeff Flewelling told city council Aug. 30, noting that he expected that number to rise to 1,700 by the end of the week. Neptune currently has 12 full-time installers working in Thompson, as well as six installers working on Saturdays for those who can't make weekday appointments.
One change which has been made to the project recently is that 300 townhouses around the city, which had previously been slated to receive one meter per building, are now being treated as individual units. While this means added expense for the city in installing extra meters, it also means the inhabitants of those townhouses will be charged for their water more accurately, only paying for what they use.
The water meter project has been the subject of some controversy of late, with complaints about the installation procedure popping up, most notably in letters to the editor in the Thompson Citizen Aug. 25 and Sept. 1.
"Some of the complaints I have heard were: they had to drill a hole in my basement and now my wall is leaking, they took all my insulation away from the pipes and never replaced it, etc. My complaint is that they cut the insulation from my pipes and did not take the time to place it back on properly in order for my water not to freeze this winter. However, I saw that and was worried so I took more insulation and stuffed it around the meter where the pipes were showing only because if my water freezes I am the one who will suffer, not the city council," wrote Cathy Pelley in one such letter.
Another common complaint was registered loud and clear from the Burntwood area, that being that installers encountered situations where the homeowner was absent - but, as they could access the main water valve (near which the meter is placed) without going into the trailer, they completed the installation without the knowledge of the homeowner, who could go weeks without noticing - as happened to Chantal Ardiel.
Mayor Tim Johnston noted that there had been "some hiccups" along the line, but also told council that corrective action has been taken in each case, including a letter sent out to Burntwood residents to explain the situation. "I encourage residents, if they have issues, to talk to Neptune and communicate with the city," said Johnston.
Flewelling also noted that "some of the installations have been very difficult," because of factors such as shutoff valves placed in such a way that it was difficult to install a meter nearby without adversely affecting something else, but that ultimately Neptune has been able to find a solution in each case.
Many people have also spoken up about the city's moving ahead with installing meters before explaining how much homeowners will be expected to pay for water. A public meeting will be held at the Letkemann Theatre Sept. 20, laying out the water rates, terms and conditions that the city will take to the provincial Public Utilities Board (PUB), which will render a judgment on the city's proposal by the end of November.
Coun. Oswald Sawh brought up another oft-heard complaint about the installations, that being the scheduling - homeowners having to set aside half a day for a procedure that is sometimes completed in minutes. "It's an inconvenience for people who sometimes have to rearrange their schedules or take off work," Sawh said. "The key thing for us is to be able to relate to residents when they have those concerns."
"There's no doubt this program would not be successful without large numbers of residents cooperating," agreed Johnston. It is expected that all meters will be installed by late October or, at the latest, early November, with residents being charged for water starting Jan. 1, 2011.
Sawh also praised the water meter project for its impact on the future. "It will probably be our most remembered, but if not, definitely top two or three of our biggest accomplishments," he said. "This is the right thing to do," added Johnston.
City manager Randy Patrick has previously said that 60 per cent of the installation cost is being borne by the provincial government, which is why this is the right time for the project. Patrick has also noted that one advantage to the water meters is that they transmit usage data on a secure wireless frequency, allowing meter readers to simply park outside and pick up the signal without disturbing the homeowner.
In a November 2008 study prepared for the city by engineering consultants CH2M Hill, it was suggested that the yearly water cost to the average homeowner would fall somewhere between $736 and $803, varying based on how much money the provincial government is willing to put into a new wastewater treatment plant-they had previously said that they would only consider funding the plant if the city agreed to create a water utility and charge Thompsonites for water based on usage. These numbers are similar to the $775 that an average household in Winnipeg pays annually for water.
Additionally, the creation of a water utility may well bring with it a drop in water consumption, as residents are more careful about how much water they waste, because the less they use, the less they pay. Vale, which supplies Thompson with water under the city's 1956 founding agreement, has found that the average Thompson household uses 605 litres of water per day, while Environment Canada puts the Canadian average (where the vast majority of people use water meters) at only 335 litres per day-suggesting that the installation of meters could lead to a significant drop in consumption, as well as improvements in water pressure due to fewer people trying to access the water line at one time.
It currently appears as though anybody renting accommodations in an apartment building will have some lag time before their rent increases to catch up with the cost of metered water. This is because of the provincial Residential Tenancies Act, which allows landlords to raise rent only once per year, and then only based on costs that have already been incurred, not costs that will be incurred in the future. Landlords can appeal in exceptional circumstances, though it is currently unknown whether any in Thompson will appeal for a higher rate increase in 2011 or if they will simply eat costs that could reach $80 per unit per month.
