Huge water bills make townsfolk want to move

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

By: Jillian Austin

Posted: 3:00 AM | Comments:

TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image

Sam Hofer, a councillor for the RM of Cornwallis, inside the pumphouse that is used to treat the water for the village of Chater.

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

Since the RM of Cornwallis took over the community's water management last summer, residents have experienced soaring water costs -- in some cases bills have tripled or quadrupled.

"Something's got to be done," said Carol Pashnyk, a Chater resident of 15 years. "We're just so terribly, terribly upset with our ridiculous water rates... It's 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 realm of $300 for six months.

"I would say the most we've ever paid in a full year -- and that's watering (the lawn) quite a bit -- is $600," she said. "Well, we paid $500 for two months."

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Huge water bills make townsfolk want to move