County management of water meters, billing, under scrutiny

Wheatland County’s process for addressing ratepayers’ broken water meters is being challenged following over $6,000 in rebates advised to be refunded to ratepayers.

Two resolutions brought before council, Nov. 4, recommended the refund of $2,360.22 to one utility account, $1,251.22 to another, and a total of $3,283.66 between five additional utility accounts.

Joel Chiasson, manager of financial services, explained broken water meters are typically not added to the county’s repair list until after three months, to ensure a given meter is actually broken as opposed to experiencing a temporary malfunction. 

Once a broken meter is on the repair list, it is prioritized based on “other criteria.” In the meantime, the structure or household associated with the broken water meter is billed based on average water use within the county. 

Glenn Koester, addressing a correspondence received from a ratepayer, who he did not name, indicated a desire for the person to be allowed to address council at the earliest opportunity.

CAO Brian Henderson noted during the council meeting, the ratepayer in question made a claim to the Alberta Utilities Commission, the result of which was sent back to council. 

Scott Wade, who identified himself as the ratepayer indicated by council, said he waited over two years before his water meter was repaired. 

“My water meter broke in June of 2022, and unbeknownst to me, everything just showed up on my bill as being a special estimate. After about six months of getting the same bill for three [cubic] meters a month, I went down to look at my meter to see what was going on, and it wasn’t working,” he said.

The county’s water estimation policy, which was updated in 2024 to establish the community average system, changed the estimated use of Wade’s water from three to 12 cubic meters every month.

Chiasson is credited with explaining to the Alberta Utilities Commission in January, the county’s repair priorities criteria are based on repair list status, length of time the meter has been unreadable for, by customer request, change in ownership, and by customer availability to be contacted.

A letter dated Nov. 3, from Henderson to Wade did not approve Wade’s request to speak before the Public Presentation Committee regarding the matter, as it pertained to a concluded appeal to the Alberta Utilities Commission and was deemed outside of the county’s jurisdiction to consider by the committee. 

“I didn’t understand what the county was doing at all. I was under the impression I was paying a fixed rate because nobody ever explained anything to me,” said Wade. 

“Paying an extra $200 or whatever it was for the water bill wasn’t a big deal, but I imagine it’s a big deal to some people in this county for an unexpected bill, but it’s no fault of their own – it’s all because the county won’t come and read your meter.”

Wade described that for an account holder such as those approved by the county for refunds to wait as long as 51 months before their water meters are fixed is unacceptable. 

In January, the county was aware of 86 utility accounts with water meters requiring repair. As of September, there still remained 43 accounts to be addressed. Wade suggested at least half of the remaining accounts have been waiting for over a year for their meter to be addressed.

“They are there because of no fault of their own and the county hasn’t even bothered to contact them. There’s no excuse for this. I contacted the meter supply company in Calgary in February; they had more than enough meters in stock to facilitate repairs,” said Wade. “The county is just being lazy and not doing it, meanwhile the rate payer is stuck paying a ridiculous estimate that will get refunded later.”

During the Nov. 4 meeting, the two resolutions recommended by administration to refund ratepayers were both approved. Council also acknowledged the 51-month time frame which saw the required rebate accumulated to this extent.

Chiasson confirmed that the community average tool employed by the county as a long-term estimate tool aims to encourage the changing of meters when they malfunction or become inoperable.