By Rick Conrad

Residents in Liverpool and parts of Brooklyn should brace for water rate hikes but not right away, Mayor Darlene Norman said Tuesday.

 “Please be prepared for a water utility rate study and a very probable increase in water utility rates,” Norman said in an interview.

Regional council got a better picture on Tuesday of the budget impact of the boil water advisory for Queens water utility customers from Aug. 9 to Oct. 5 last year.

The municipality had already budgeted last spring for a loss of $173,700 for the water utility. The treatment station was struck by lightning on Aug. 9. Residents on the municipal water supply were under a boil water order for eight weeks.

Joanne Veinotte, director of corporate services for the Region of Queens, gave councillors a third-quarter financial review on Tuesday. As of Dec. 31, the water utility has run an extra $252,655 over budget, or $426,355 so far. 

Norman said Queens water customers pay some of the lowest rates in the province. The utility must pay for itself and not run a deficit.

Before any rate increase, however, the utility has to prepare a rate study. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board would have to approve any fee hike. 

Norman said she has no timeline for when that review may be done. She said council does not have the money in its current budget for the rate study. 

“The system is old, early 1900s. So it constantly needs repair and upgrading.

“It may well be the next council coming in in October that will be looking at the results of that study.”

Veinotte told councillors Tuesday that the region will be reimbursed for $82,000 from its insurance provider for the damage caused by the August lightning strike. 

“At the end of the day that claim is now finalized but we’re still dealing with some of the fallout from the lightning strike,” Veinotte told councillors.

In other positive financial news for the region, revenue from the 2.5 per cent deed transfer tax was again over budget for the third quarter.

Veinotte said the region brought in about $220,000 more than expected from the tax in the quarter and the region is expected to exceed its projection for the deed transfer tax by about 58 per cent for the whole fiscal year.

The region also got a higher-than-expected share of the Nova Scotia Power tax payout from the province of about $132,000.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Municipal Water customers in Queens will see compensation for a boil water advisory that lasted almost nine weeks. The Region of Queens applied to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) and was approved to provide a one-time 70 percent rate reduction to be applied to the current water bill. Municipal water customers had to boil their water after lightning struck the water treatment plant, damaging essential equipment on Aug 7. In their decision, the UARB says the boil-water advisory was reasonable and beyond the control of the water utility. The decision stated they saw no other way to ensure the safety of the drinking water. Mayor Darlene Norman says she is pleased with the review board’s decision. “We were given what we asked and also noted that we did what was expected to ensure consumers safety,” said Norman. Region of Queens estimates the approved one-time rate reduction will cost the utility $56,000 which will come from an unused water reserve fund initially intended to provide sediment removal. To hear the broadcast version of this story click play below. E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

The Region of Queens has lifted the boil water advisory for users of the water utility.

The boil-water advisory has been in place around the Liverpool area since the treatment station was struck by lightning Aug 9.

The municipality is now exploring how to compensate the affected users for the inconvenience.

A resident asked if the Region would be issuing a refund to help people offset the increased power costs of boiling water as well as account for money spent on bottled water during the public comment period of the September 12 council meeting,

Initially, Mayor Darlene Norman said the Region of Queens wouldn’t be providing a refund because the utility is its own legal entity and rates are set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. However, that stance seems to have softened at the Sep 26 council meeting.

Norman says the Region can’t simply give money back to users, they need permission from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, the body responsible for regulating the water utility.

“Of course, there’s not going to be a perfect solution to any of this,” said Norman. “However, council decided that we are going to have staff request from the UARB a 70 percent reduction on the consumption rate.”

Norman says if the ask is approved then the reduction will be applied to the next bill.

“May not really indicate how much water people consumed during this period because this period crossed over two bills,” said Norman. “There’s, I believe, 23 days on the last bill that was just issued and the upcoming bill which goes out in late December, payable January, would have like, another 20 odd days on it.”

Throughout the boil-water advisory Cowie well was available to supply fresh, potable water to residents.

The boil water order was lifted just after 11:00am Thursday Oct 5 once the municipality confirmed that water quality production issues have been resolved, and the Water Utility is again meeting regulatory requirements.

To hear the broadcast of this story click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Over a month after the Region of Queens issued a boil water advisory people are beginning to wonder if they’ll be compensated for the inconvenience.

Water utility customers around the Liverpool area haven’t had drinkable water since the treatment station was struck by lightning Aug 9.

Throughout the boil-water advisory Cowie well continues to be available to supply fresh, potable water to residents.

During the public comment period of the September 12 council meeting, a resident asked council if a refund would be coming to help people offset the increased power costs of boiling water as well as the money put out to buy water.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the Region of Queens won’t be providing a refund as the utility is its own legal entity and rates are set by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Norman went on to explain the utility gets all its operating income from customers and is not part of the Region of Queens finances.

“Crediting is simply taking money out of your pocket and then hauling it back out the next month,” said Norman. “The utility must support itself from the customers within it. It’s not part of our Region of Queens bookwork. It has its own bookwork, and the utility must be supported from the users of the utility.”

Norman says the ongoing repairs are costing the utility a great deal and it is highly unlikely customers will see any rebate on their bills.

“Bills are based on water consumption, and it does not have to be potable water, it’s based on water consumption. And although many people understand and realize that this is an inconvenience,” said Norman, “it is, it is hardship for people who are boiling water, who have to travel to the well, which is free water and that is perfectly safe and potable, but it’s highly unlikely that there will be any change reflected on the bill in relation to consumption.”

The latest report from Mayor Norman indicated the utility is waiting to stabilize the power going into the plant before making the repairs to avoid any damage to the replacement equipment.

To hear the broadcast of this story click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Supply issues and power problems at the Region of Queens water treatment plant are responsible for the ongoing boil water advisory that has affected municipal water users in the Liverpool area for over a month.

Residents relying on municipal services have been unable to consume the water coming out of their pipes since the Region issued the advisory on Aug 9.

A lightning strike at the water treatment plant damaged several essential components.

Mayor Darlene Norman says it took time to acquire replacements for the specialized components, but they are now in hand. However, crews won’t be installing the new parts until they can be sure the power entering the plant is stable and won’t cause further damage.

“At this present time, we are stabilizing energy to the plant. So, Nova Scotia power is working to do that,” said Norman. “We have hired consultants, we’ve been working with various agencies, we’ve been working with water utility specialists, we have been working with everyone in the water utility field to solve this problem.”

Norman expects Nova Scotia Power will continue to work at the site into next week.

She says the water quality at the plant is inconsistent and won’t pass tests required by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment to permit lifting the boil water advisory.

The mayor couldn’t offer a timeline but is confident once the power to the plant is stabilized, and the new parts are installed those tests can be met in short order and the boil water advisory will be lifted.

For now, residents are advised to continue boiling water for at least a minute before drinking or any other activity requiring human consumption.

To hear the full interview with Mayor Norman click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

The Region of Queens has released more information about the event that caused the boil water advisory.

According to a release, lightning strikes from a passing electrical storm impacted the South Queens Water Treatment Facility on the morning of August 9th

Key infrastructure within the treatment facility was damaged causing disruptions to the treatment process which led to a lack of chlorine disinfection residual across the water distribution network.

Staff notified the Nova Scotia Department of Environment and a boil water advisory was issued.

The water treatment facility is operational, and Region of Queens Water Utility Staff are continuing to monitor water quality.

At the time of the incident, the municipality issued a directive for Region of Queens Water Utility Customers to conserve water. That directive was lifted on Aug 10.

Municipal officials say the boil water advisory will remain in effect until at least Aug 24. It won’t be lifted they can confirm enough disinfection residual is restored throughout the system and testing is completed as per the Department of Environment.

Consumers are advised to boil water for at least 1 minute before drinking, preparing infant formulas, preparing juices, and ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, cooking, dental hygiene, and any other activity of requiring human consumption.

Anyone on municipal water should monitor Region of Queens webpage and social media as well as local media for updates.

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.

Residents of Liverpool and parts of the surrounding areas are under a boil water advisory.

The Region of Queens Municipality is advising anyone serviced by Region of Queens Water Utility to boil water for at least 1 minute before drinking, preparing infant formulas, preparing juices, and ice cubes, washing fruits and vegetables, cooking, dental hygiene, and any other activity requiring human consumption. This is to be done until further notice.

Mayor Darlene Norman says the utility was damaged during Tuesday night’s storm.

“As we all know thunder and lightning storms have been dancing all around us and lightning has been dancing around the water treatment plant and strikes have caused equipment not to be working at the levels it should,” said Norman. “So, we have no idea how long it will take to get our equipment back on the stream to which is required, so therefore a boil water advisory has been issued at this point in time.”

Norman says the storm damage has impacted capacity at the water treatment plant.Residents are asked to immediately conserve water until further notice and avoid activities that use unnecessary water, such as washing vehicles, as well as watering lawns and gardens.

The municipality is closing the Spray Pad at Etil Militam’mk Universally-Designed Play Park to conserve water until further notice.

Potable water is available from Cowie Well.

Residents are asked to follow the Region of Queens web page and social media as well as local media outlets for updates on the boil water advisory.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.