The average home in Nelson will be paying about $18 more in 2022 for sewer and sewer service.
City council approved in principle the rate increase last month which will see a net change of $7 for water and $11 for sewer based on a resident paying their bill before their deadline.
The total bill is going up from $1,071 in 2021 to $1,089 in 2022 or 1.7 per cent.
On the commercial side, a municipal example of a large commercial restaurant with 50 seats would see their bill go from $3,151 to $3,202 next year or a $51 increase (1.6 per cent).
While the rates are higher than comparable B.C. municipalities and local communities within the Kootenays, the chief financial officer is not too concerned.
“I am very confident that many of these other locations have not done the upgrading work that the city has done,” Colin McClure told council earlier this month.
Following the steps set out in its Water Master Plan, Nelson replaced much of its galvanized pipe, putting a stop to a lot of leakage in the system.
With supply chain issues and construction costs now on the rise, McClure commended council for the foresight to address the waterworks system and says other municipalities are going to face a big cost.
“The cost of piping on some of our water stuff has gone up a thousand (1,000) per cent,” he said.