General Sewer FAQ
2016 Rate Increase
Effective January 1, 2016, the typical residential customer will pay an additional $1.00 per month for drainage services. This amount reflects an increase of $0.50 per month for the sanitary utility and $0.50 per month for the stormwater utility. This rate increase applies to both residential and non-residential customers.
The increase is necessary to ensure long-term financial sustainability while maintaining operational service levels, and funding capital programs for neighbourhood renewal and rehabilitation of drainage infrastructure.
The fees support all sanitary and stormwater management services, flood mitigation, neighbourhood renewal and activities to protect the environment, such as biosolids disposal. (Biosolids are the by-product of the municipal wastewater treatment process.)
The sanitary charges are designed to recover the costs associated with planning, designing, building, operating and maintaining the pipes and facilities required for the collection and the transfer of wastewater from the places where we eat, work, play and visit, to the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The fee is for the collection, quality enhancement and disposal of stormwater that runs off our streets and properties into the sewer system. It includes construction and maintenance of storm sewers, as well as other stormwater management/quality enhancement facilities.
The rate was set to ensure that the City’s drainage system can maintain services and infrastructure as well as meet its financial obligations in the future.
Everyone will pay the same variable rate, while the fixed rate is based on the water meter size.
No, GST is not charged on City Drainage fees.
Every year, City Council determines what the needs and rate requirements are for the following year. These discussions determine if there is an increase required.
Significant portions of the increases to sanitary and stormwater fees go toward expansion of capital programs, increased operational expenses and help ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the utilities.
Your bill will show your charges for January’s water consumption, and the sanitary and stormwater drainage charges will be pro-rated and displayed on two lines.
- The first line will show your charge at the old rate for the period up to December 31, 2015.
- The second line will show your charge at the new rate for the period of January 1, 2016, and after.
Flood Mitigation Program and Mature Neighbourhood Rehabilitation
Certain programs like the Flood Mitigation program benefit the City as a whole, not just those affected by a particular flood event. It is a preventative measure that helps mitigate future flooding and the associated costs. Operating and capital costs are shared proportionately among all utility users/ratepayers.
The Flood Mitigation Program was approved by Council in 2006 to reduce the risk of flooding in 31 at-risk neighbourhoods identified through engineering studies and community input. In 2016, projects under design and construction are happening in Royal Gardens, Summerlea, Thorncliff, Aldergrove, Satoo, Menisa, Meyonohk, Elmwood and Steinhauer.
In response to flooding that occurred in 2013, an expanded Flood Mitigation Program was implemented to address flooding in North Millbourne, Mill Woods and southwest Edmonton. In 2016, projects under design and construction are taking place in Tweddle Place, Tawa, Michaels Park, Ekota, Kameyosek and Lee Ridge.
No, unless it involves emergency sewer repairs. As part of the City’s neighbourhood renewal program, a program to renew City infrastructure in mature neighborhoods, work to rehabilitate and upgrade sewers is coordinated to occur before the start of pavement and sidewalk reconstruction in order to avoid disruption to newly-constructed pavement. (For more information on neighbourhood renewal, visit edmonton.ca/BuildingGreatNeighbourhoods.)
Two-thirds of the pipes in mature areas are more than 30 years old, and almost a third are more than 50 years old. They were built to the code applicable at the time of the initial construction. With the growth of the city, aging infrastructure and higher standards of protection adopted today, the City needs to upgrade our sewer system on an ongoing basis.
Seasonal Sewer Pricing
Seasonal sewer pricing is a rate structure that is applied during the summer months (April to September) to shield residential customers from sewer charges for water that does not enter the sewer system. Depending on the customer's seasonal water consumption, they may see a credit on their summer utility bills for outdoor water usage.
Under seasonal sewer pricing, a customer's monthly sanitary sewer charges from April to September (summer) are capped to the average amount of water used from October to March (winter), plus an additional five cubic meters.
Only residential drainage customers are eligible for seasonal sewer pricing. In order to qualify for seasonal sewer pricing, the customer’s water account must be in service from October 1 of the previous year. The billing system will automatically calculate and/or re-calculate a winter average each year.
Sanitary sewer pricing is based on your water consumption. A customer’s monthly sanitary sewer charges during April to September (summer) are capped to the average amount of water used from October to March (winter) plus an additional five cubic metres. If your summer water usage exceeds your winter average by more than five cubic meters per month, you will pay for your average winter usage plus no more than five additional cubic meters per month.
Sanitary Utility Bill
The fee is based on a fixed rate that is tied to the size of water meter and a uniform variable rate per cubic meter of water consumed. The rates are applied consistently to all residential and non-residential customers.
It is estimated that a typical residential Edmonton household used 15.40 cubic metres (15,400 litres) of water per month during the year 2015.
Since the water still entered the sewer system, and therefore needed to be collected and conveyed to the wastewater treatment plant, no credits will be given.
There is no specific program for year round lawn watering compensation. However, if the customer is in service from October 1 (winter) onward, the system will automatically calculate a winter average and qualify the user for the seasonal sanitary pricing for the summer months.
This is done by EPCOR Water Services Inc. (EWSI). EWSI has a new commercial meter inspector who is responsible for determining meter sizes based on site inspections and water demand analysis. A meter size that is too small for the amount of water required will result in insufficient water pressure to meet customer needs
The size of a water meter is dependent on the size of the water lines at the location. Customers may have reduced water flow if they change to a smaller meter. Inspections may also be required before a smaller meter is approved. If the customer is interested in a meter change, they should be forwarded to EPCOR at 780-412-6868.
Stormwater Utility Bill
1. Area of property - your lot size in square metres (m2).
2. Development intensity - the measure of the portion of lot being used for its intended development.
- For residential customers the intensity of development factor is 1.0.
- For non-residential properties that are largely undeveloped or utilizing on-site stormwater management, a reduced factor may apply.
- Properties draining directly to the North Saskatchewan River are eligible for a credit to reduce their stormwater fee.
3. Run-off coefficient - the permeability of your lot's surface (i.e. grass versus concrete), based on land zoning.
- The run-off coefficient for a single detached residential house is typically 0.50. However, depending on your property's land zoning classification, the run-off coefficient can range from 0.20 to 0.95.
4. Rate - the monthly charge of 3.71 cents per square metre (m2) of land area.
Forward questions/queries to EPCOR (780-310-4300), who will contact City Drainage staff at the Utility Services branch.
For More Information
EPCOR Contact Centre
Billing Inquiries
| Telephone |
780-310-4300 |
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Utility Services (Drainage)
General Information
| Telephone | 311 |
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