The Town of Hinton is planning to increase utility rates to cover increasing water and sewer costs and fund a new water treatment plant.
While council has not yet set the price of the new utility rates, if approved the new utility bills are estimated to be about $150 per month. The current charges are $153.29 every two months for water, sewer and garbage.
“Council is considering many changes to the utility bylaw to ensure the Town is able to fund critical utility infrastructure now and in the future and that these costs are distributed equitably among the users of the system,” said Mayor Nicholas Nissen in a statement to the Fitzhugh.
“We deeply value our residents' input, and that is why we're actively engaging the community throughout this process. Citizen feedback is crucial and will be key in shaping the final decisions.”
The Fitzhugh was unable to arrange an interview with a Town of Hinton representative before publication.
Since the late 1950s, Hinton’s water and sewer services have been provided by the Pulp Mill, originally operated by Weldwood and later by West Fraser Mills Ltd.
In 2015, West Fraser initiated the transition of water treatment responsibilities to the Town of Hinton, leading to a phased takeover.
The town recently entered a 20-year agreement with Mondi, who purchased the Pulp Mill in 2024, to treat wastewater and supply process water.
The town is now responsible for covering its share of operational costs and funding the construction of a new water treatment plant, which is scheduled to be operational by 2046.
The new utility rates will also help fund the replacement of aging infrastructure to ensure reliability and environmental compliance, according to the Town of Hinton’s website.
As part of updating the utility rates, council will look at options for residential water meters. It will have to decide if the meters are voluntary or mandatory, and if the $100 installation cost will be borne by the town or the ratepayer.
Currently, only commercial accounts have water meters in Hinton.
The town will engage with the community through a survey open until Sept. 23 and an open house on Sept. 11.
Feedback will inform council’s decision on the final utility rate changes, which could be implemented by November or January.
