Drowning in rising water rates

TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, stands outside the pump house that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater on Saturday afternoon. The water treatment facility was recently given a large upgrade, but Chater residents are now seeing the cost of the upgrade reflected in soaring water bills.

CHATER High water rates have Chater residents drowning in "atrocious" bills, and some say it may force them to move out of the village.

Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, stands in the doorway of the pump house that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater on Saturday. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)

Enlarge Image

UV treatment is one of the ways the water for the village of Chater is treated. Chaters pump house water treatment facility was recently given a large upgrade, but Chater residents are now seeing the cost of the upgrade reflected in their skyrocketing water bills. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)

Since the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis took over the communitys water management last summer, residents have experienced soaring water costs in some cases, bills have tripled or quadrupled.

"Somethings got to be done," said Carol Pashnyk, a Chater resident of 15 years. "Were just so terribly, terribly upset with our ridiculous water rates Its unreal."

Carol and her husband, George Pashnyk, are retired and on a fixed income. They were shocked when they received a $500 water bill for two months, when they were used to paying in the range of $300 for six months.

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Drowning in rising water rates