Water bills were the subject of some talk at Pictou Town Council’s monthly meeting. Many
residents have seen a change in their bills, as the town has recently moved to a base charge plus a rate of $1.28 per cubic meter of water used. This follows the new water treatment plant coming online. Mayor Jim Ryan says with a new facility to pay for, and a loss overall in receivables, it’s more important than ever to make sure the town doesn’t fall behind on revenue.
As explained by town CAO Dan Troke, under current policy the town issues a written notice by mail if a ratepayer is 45 days in arrears on a bill of $75 or more. The notice gives the ratepayer 14 days to work out repayment with the town. If not, they are given a second notice and an additional 10 days to pay. A third and final notice comes in the form of an orange door knocker placed on the building, informing the owner they have 24 hours to reach a satisfactory repayment, or else the water is turned off.