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.
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