Oliver Water Tax Increase

Oliver residents will be paying more for their water and sewer services this year.

The town’s finance director, Debi McGinn, has presented council with the budget and the biggest increase will be for water.

She says the increase of 6.6 per cent is less then originally planned.

McGinn says council plans to borrow $5 million from the government to pay for several large projects and had considered an increase of 8.1 per cent.

Instead, council decided to phase in the repayment over 25 years, reducing the amount of this year’s increase.

The average house will now pay about $320 for parcel tax and user fees.

Sewer rates are going up by 2.5 per cent, meaning the average family home will pay about $6 more for those services.

There will be no increase for recycling and garbage fees.