West Grey council has approved new water and sewer rates for Durham and Neustadt, with increases set to take effect beginning this year.
In Neustadt, customers will see annual increases of 5.5 per cent in 2025, 2026, and 2027. For an average household using 37.5 cubic metres per quarter, quarterly bills will rise from about $207 this year to $243 by 2027. That includes higher water rates of roughly five per cent each year, while sanitary sewer rates will continue to be set at 150 per cent of the water charge. The system’s capital and financing charge will also rise by $1.50 per month each year.
The Neustadt water and sewer system is currently in a deficit position, and staff say the increases are necessary to return it to financial stability. About 310 customers are billed on the Neustadt system.
In Durham, the overall increase will be about 3.3 per cent in both 2025 and 2026. While water rates will remain unchanged, sanitary sewer charges will rise to 135 per cent of the water rate in 2025, and to 150 per cent in 2026. The capital and financing charge will remain the same. For an average household, the changes will mean paying about $5.40 more per quarter. The Durham system has roughly 1,787 billable units.
Along with rate changes, the fee for a standard ¾-inch water meter will rise from $370 to $420 to reflect current replacement costs.
Water and sewer systems in West Grey are self-funded through user fees and are not supported by property taxes. Council reviews the rates regularly to ensure operating costs, growth pressures, and infrastructure requirements can be met.
The new bylaw will be split into two parts — one covering regulatory requirements and another for the actual rates. Council also approved a three-year review cycle, with the next full update scheduled between 2028 and 2031.