Residents of Chatham-Kent can expect to see a jump in their water and wastewater rates for 2019.
Water consumption rates will increase five cents going from $1.25 to $1.30 per cubic metre. The water fixed charge will be increased a dollar, taking it from $23.50 to $24.50.
Wastewater will raise nine cents to $1.24 with the fixed rate jumping two dollars from $24.50 to $26.50.
The average household uses 17 cubic metres of water a month which would equal an increase of $1.85 on their monthly water bill.
By comparison, Windsor's water consumption rate is $0.62 per cubic metre while their wastewater costs $2.48. Leamington is at $3.96 for water consumption and $2.30 for wastewater.
Tim Sunderland, Chatham-Kent's Public Utilities Commission general manager, said compared to rates in other municipalities, Chatham-Kent is somewhere in between.
"Chatham-Kent is not the top most expensive, it's not the least expensive, but we're somewhere in the middle," he said. "Each community bases their water and wastewater rates, their flat rates and their consumption charges, based on their infrastructure needs and their needs going forward."
Sunderland explained that the rate increases are part of a multi-year financial plan. The money is used to cover necessary treatment and delivery of water and maintenance on Chatham-Kent's 17 water treatment plants.
"We look at the bigger picture, we look at infrastructure costs that we need to do for lifecycle upgrades that we need to do to our water and wastewater plants," he said.
