Morinville residents will have to cut back on the amount of junk they haul to the dump this year now that town council has imposed a new annual trash cap.
Morinville town council approved the 2022 water, sewer, stormwater, and solid waste rates March 22.
The new rates mean the typical town resident will pay about $1,670.02 for these utilities this year, or $52.92 more than they did last year.
Town financial services manager Travis Nosko proposed no change in the water rate; average total water costs are set to rise $8.77 as most properties are expected to use more water. Wastewater rates rose to $1.42 per cubic metre from $1.36 due to higher treatment prices at the Alberta Capital Region Wastewater Commission. Stormwater rates rose to $10 and $20 a month for residential and non-residential properties, respectively, from $7.50 and $15 as part of ongoing efforts to make stormwater a self-sustaining utility by 2027.
Solid waste rates did not change, but council agreed to cap the amount of trash residents can directly haul to the Roseridge Landfill at 2,500 kilograms a year (a bit less than two 2019 Volkswagen Beetles). Council heard this change was made to ensure residents are using landfill passes for residential rather than commercial purposes. Residents will be charged commercial rates for any mass over the cap.
Council voted to waive any fees the Midstream Support Society, Fusion Thrift Shoppe, and Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation incur for exceeding this cap. The town provides these groups with free landfill passes, and council heard these groups typically send far more than 2,500 kilograms a year to the landfill due in part to illegal dumping at their sites.
Council also changed how the town charges residents for water meter accuracy testing. Instead of charging a specified amount per test, residents will now pay whatever the test cost at the time so long as the test’s results fall within an acceptable range. A report to council said this change aligns with council’s push to make all fees recover the full cost of any service.
