Smithers residents will see a 10 percent jump in water and sewer user rates in 2019.
Council voted unanimously in favour of the increase this week following previous recommendations made by staff.
According to a presentation earlier in the month, the town’s cast iron watermains are nearing the end of their life and will soon need replacing.
Council approved the increase in order to begin saving for those eventual costs, and to make them look more appealing on future grant applications.
It is the hope of council that doing so will eliminate the need for a large tax hike in the future.
