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Oak Bay water rates rise

Fees to cover the cost of CRD sewage treatment facility

Oak Bay council approved the first three readings of a sewer user charge bylaw that will see sewage fees go up an estimated 25 per cent over 2012 costs.

The increase is largely to pay for costs from the Capital Regional District for Oak Bay's portion of the capital costs for the sewage treatment facility infrastructure to be built.

As per the Local Government Act, the municipality is also responsible to pay 100 per cent of its share of the CRD's principal and interest costs for the servicing of regional sewer system debt.

With the regional charge now included, the price of water is going up from the original 2013 rate of 97.96 cents per unit of water to $1.96. Municipal water charges equal about $1.20 per unit of water. Combined, Oak Bay residents will be paying about $2.20 per unit of water.

All told, a house using 129 units of water (average) will see an increase of about $135 from 2012.