The writing is on the wall in Sylvan Lake for some significant increases to utility rates.

A new Water and Sewer Bylaw was introduced this week.

With new federal regulations changing the way communities have treated wastewater in the past and the province not providing all the funding necessary for infrastructure upgrades, Sylvan Lake is forced to make some changes according to Communications Officer Joanne Gaudet.

“The province’s preferred solution is to connect to the regional Red Deer wastewater system or a regional system connection, also Sylvan Lake has 35 year plus old infrastructure in need of repair and or replacement, so we are facing regular utility increases”.

Those needed upgrades are costly.

“We have approximately 30 kilometers of sewer line as well as a similar 30 kilometers of water line that needs replacing in the next little bit, and the cost associated with replacing every kilometer of pipe is approximately $500,000 so it kind of gives you an idea of just how expensive that is. That money comes directly from utilities; it doesn’t come from property taxes”.

Gaudet says the regional wastewater system is a cost the Town just simply doesn't control, it's the City of Red Deer that owns the regional system, resulting in higher user fees.

Under the proposed rates, which see increases to both water and sewer base rates and consumption rates, the total bi-monthly bill on average in 2018 will increase by $84.

A public hearing is set for December 11th.

For more information on the proposed increases, visit the Town of Sylvan Lake.