RIVERS
BANNER July 31, 2015
ersary v i n Celebrating our 107th An
Gazette-Reporter Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 106 years
Volume 108, Issue 4
89¢ + tax
PUB revises water charges for Rivers By Sheila Runions Banner Staff
O
n June 15 Public Utilities Board (PUB) travelled to Rivers to hear ratepayer opinions regarding Riverdale Municipality’s plan to increase utility rates by as much as 230 per cent (though that increase would only amount to $5.20 more than the current fee of $2.26, to $7.46). While PUB has up to two months to issue their order, they reached their decision in six weeks and issued the following directive on Tuesday, July 27. The requested service charge will be inflated by 12 per cent or $11.27 instead of the current $10.11. Water rates per 1,000 gallons will not be what council requested ($19.07) but only $10.15 per month. Sewer
rates for 1,000 gallons will not increase the 230 per cent but rather, will drop by 35 per cent from $2.26 to $1.48 per month. The minimum charge for water and sewer will jump by eight per cent ($22.90 per month), not the 79 per cent Riverdale requested. Ratepayers having sewer only will soon pay $15.38 per month or an increase of 31 per cent, much less than the 173 per cent hike council asked for. Bulk water sales will drop from $12.05 to $10; the municipality wanted an increase to $19 (58 per cent). They also wanted to increase the minimum charge for bulk water sales by 57 per cent but again, PUB is mandating a decrease of 17 per cent ($5 from the current $6.05).
Riverdale proposed the reconnection fee and annual hydrant rent remain unchanged ($50 and $125 respectively); PUB agreed with that proposal. A 17-page PUB report somewhat explains their decisions. Council’s rate application requested that PUB approve by April 1, 2015, based on 2017 projections. With this government order not effective until September 2015, council is six months behind in building revenues for anticipated lagoon and water treatment plant upgrades, as previously reported in past issues of this newspaper. PUB also reasoned that Riverdale’s logic for increases may be too burdensome for some users (only 21 of the 600-plus utility
users lodged complaints with PUB). The original application which asked for approval last April not only “included the expense associated with debenture servicing for both the water plant and lagoon projects, but a provision for $100,000 per year to be transferred to reserves.” In 2012 PUB denied the then Town of Rivers’ request for $100,000 reserves stating: “Reserves are generally not intended to fund major projects. Building these requirements into reserves places an unfair burden on current ratepayers who would effectively be paying for capital projects which should be supported over time by ratepayers that benefit from those projects. ”
PUB asked the municipality to once again provide their rationale for $100,000 per year in reserves; Riverdale explained at the June 15 meeting that the “provision is to rebuild the reserve, which will be reduced by $400,000 after the water treatment plant project, to improve the utility’s working capital position and allow for those reserve funds to assist in contributing to the future capital costs.” PUB did approve, in principle, a rate surcharge to recover debenture servicing costs for the plant and lagoon projects, but coucil must now submit another application to PUB for approval. More info about this decision can be found on pub.gov.mb.ca or phone 1-866-854-3698.
CN installs a second line
By Jessie Bell Vehicular traffic has increased recently with the steady movement of gravel trucks along Hwy. 25. They turn south, using several gravel roads en route to the CN main line where their product is being used to build up a bed for a second rail line. The work extends east of Levine siding (east of Rivers) and will end just west of Hwy. 10, a total
of eight kilometres. The gravel is being hauled from the Beever pit, owned and located west of the Marlin and Eleanor Beever farm. The estimated amount of gravel required to build up the new line was predetermined from a survey. Some 32 freight trains meet and pass along the line at Rivers every day. The added track will
allow for straight-through traffic while another train is temporarily parked. The estimated length of today’s freight trains is more than two miles and some 230 rail cars long. While the new line is being built up with gravel, supplies are being stockpiled in Rivers rail yard. A huge pile of black wooden ties are stored on the east side and on Friday,
Photos by Jessie Bell
July 24, crews were operating equipment to remove more than 70,000 concrete ties off a flat bed; these have been piled south of the elevator. A huge mound of crushed rock has also been poured nearby.
It was reported that gravel roads may be damaged by the fleet of gravel trucks; they are repaired where necessary. The addition of work crews in the area has created an increase in business within the town.