Skip to Content | Contact Us

City Government

2012 Rate Increase FAQ

Th January 2012 drainage utility bill reflects a rate increase to both the Sanitary and Stormwater Drainage utility rates. Effective January 1, 2012, the rate increase is $4.03 per month for the Sanitary Drainage Utility, and $1.34 per month for the Stormwater Utility. This increase applies to all customers.

What rate increase was approved for the 2012 Drainage Services fees?
Why is there a rate increase for Drainage Services?
What services are included in the drainage utilities fees for ratepayers?
What is the sanitary drainage charge for?
What is the stormwater charge for?
How is the rate determined?
Does everyone pay the same rate?
Is GST charged to my utility fee?
Will the drainage utility rate increase in subsequent years?
Why are the sanitary and stormwater rate increases greater than the inflation rate?
How will the sanitary and stormwater charges be calculated and applied on my utility bill in January 2012, a prorated month?
My neighbourhood has never flooded, so why do I have to pay extra fees?
What neighbourhoods are getting flood prevention projects first?
I live in an older neighbourhood where work is being done on the streets and sidewalks etc. Will crews come back and dig up the streets again to do the drainage neighbourhood rehabilitation work in a couple of years?
Why do I have to pay to upgrade the sewer system now?
What is the seasonal sanitary pricing for residential customers?
How does seasonal sanitary sewer pricing work?
How do I qualify for seasonal sanitary sewer pricing?
How will seasonal sanitary sewer pricing affect my utility bill?
What is the monthly water consumption for a typical residential household?
My toilet was leaking in our house for over a period of a few months. Will the City give me a credit on my drainage charges since I didn't use the water?
I recently moved into a new house, and I have to water my new lawn a lot. Is there any compensation for my drainage charges because the water does not go down the drain and does not require sanitary sewer treatment?
How is the stormwater fee calculated?
Who do I call if I have concerns about the actual components of the stormwater charge on my bill?

1. What rate increase was approved for the 2012 Drainage Services fees?

Effective January 1, 2012, the typical residential customer will pay an additional $5.37 per month for Drainage Services. This amount reflects an increase of $4.03 per month for the Sanitary Utility and $1.34 per month for the Stormwater Utility. This rate increase applies to both residential and non-residential customers.

2. Why is there a rate increase for Drainage Services?

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.

3. What services are included in the drainage utilities fees for ratepayers?

The fees support all sanitary and stormwater management services, flood prevention, neighbourhood renewal, activities to protect the environment, such as biosolids disposal. (Biosolids are the by-product of the of the municipal wastewater treatment process).

4. What is the sanitary drainage charge for?

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.

5. What is the stormwater charge for?

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.

6. How is the rate determined?

The rate is set to ensure the drainage utilities collects the revenue required to meet its long term capital and operating needs in order to maintain services and infrastructure as well as meet its financial obligations.

7. Does everyone pay the same rate?

Yes, all customers pay the same base rates. However, your sanitary utility bill will vary depending on your water consumption, and your stormwater utility bill will vary depending on the size of your lot and zoning factors.

8. Is GST charged to my utility fee?

No, GST is not charged on City Drainage fees.

9. Will the drainage utility rate increase in subsequent years?

A significant portion of the increases to sanitary fees and stormwater fees is required to support the expansion of certain capital programs, increases to operational expenses, as well as to ensure long term financial sustainability of the utilities.

10. Why are the sanitary and stormwater rate increases greater than the inflation rate?

The sanitary and stormwater increase of 6.94% and 6.4% respectively each is required to cover cost increases on existing services and to provide funding for capital improvement including the implementation of the Flood Prevention Program.

11. How will the sanitary and stormwater charges be calculated and applied on my utility bill in January 2012, a prorated month?

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, 2011
The second line will show your charge at the new rate for the period of January 1, 2012, and after

12. My neighbourhood has never flooded, so why do I have to pay extra fees?

Certain programs like the Flood Prevention 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 with such incidences. All operating and capital costs are shared proportionately among all utility users/rate payers.

13. What neighbourhoods are getting flood prevention projects first?

The Flood Prevention 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 2012, current construction works will continue in Rio Terrace, Meyonohk, Satoo, Ekota, Menisa and Pleasant View while new construction will be started in Laurier Heights, Bearspaw, Keehewin and Ermineskin.

14. I live in an older neighbourhood where work is being done on the streets and sidewalks etc. Will crews come back and dig up the streets again to do the drainage neighbourhood rehabilitation work in a couple of years?

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.

15. Why do I have to pay to upgrade the sewer system now?

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, there is a need to upgrade our sewer system on an ongoing basis.

16. What is the seasonal sanitary pricing for residential customers?

Seasonal sanitary 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.

17. How does seasonal sanitary sewer pricing work?

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 5 m³.

18. How do I qualify for seasonal sanitary sewer pricing?

Only residential drainage customers are eligible for seasonal sanitary sewer pricing. In order to qualify for seasonal sanitary sewer pricing, the customer’s water account must be in service from October 1 in the previous year. As long as a customer has an account by October 1 in the previous year, the billing system will automatically calculate and/or re-calculate a winter average each year.

19. How will seasonal sanitary sewer pricing affect my utility bill?

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 5 m³. If your summer water usage exceeds your winter average by more than 5 m³ per month, you will pay for your average winter usage plus no more than five additional cubic metres per month.

20. What is the monthly water consumption for a typical residential household?

It is estimated that a typical residential Edmonton household used 16.6 m³ (16,600 litres) of water per month during the year 2011. Based on historical records, the amount of water consumed by residential households in Edmonton, decreases by about 2%-3% each year as a result of water conservation efforts.

21. My toilet was leaking in our house for over a period of a few months. Will the City give me a credit on my drainage charges since I didn't use the water?

No, 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.

22. I recently moved into a new house, and I have to water my new lawn a lot. Is there any compensation for my drainage charges because the water does not go down the drain and does not require sanitary sewer treatment?

There is no specific program for year round lawn watering compensation. However, if the customer is in service from October 1, (winter) onwards, the system will automatically calculate a winter average and qualify the user for the seasonal sanitary sewer pricing for the summer months.

23. How is the stormwater fee calculated?

Area of property - your lot size in square metres (m²).
Development Intensity - the measure of the portion of lot being utilized for its intended development.
- For residential customers the intensity of development factor is 1.
- 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.
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 0.5-0.65.
Rate - the rate approved by City Council applies to all properties.

24. Who do I call if I have concerns about the actual components of the stormwater charge on my bill?

Call 311 or Drainage Services at 780-496-5454.

Copyright © 2012, City of Edmonton.