Upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant happened six years ago, the waste water plant now needs an upgrade as well. (file photo/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Utility increase

Water/sewer rates to increase 7 per cent

Dec 16, 2025 | 2:44 PM

Water and sewer rates in Prince Albert will soon increase between 6.5 to 7.5 per cent.

City council voted in favour of the increase at their regular meeting on Monday, which will help address a $1.2 million deficit in the water utility fund as well as higher costs of operating the utility.

Coun. Blake Edwards said that it is unfortunate that rates have to increase, but their costs also continue to rise.

“I had a comment the other day from a resident saying that council better not have any increases, including taxation and the utilities. My comment back is that none of us want to increase anything,” he said.

“When vehicles stop increasing in price, or parts to fix them stop increasing, maybe we can look at some of these things. Insurances are increasing everywhere.”

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The Water Utility Fund money comes from fees charged to customers and is not paid for by property taxes, according to the council package. Saskatchewan municipalities are prohibited by provincial law from using money collected for utility fees for any other purpose.

A major upgrade is being planned for the city’s wastewater plant, which is 53 years old but had additions in 1999 and 2009.

The estimated cost to upgrade is $80 million for the first phase and $150 to $250 million for additional upgrades over the next decade.

The city has applied for a federal grant that would cover $36.7 million of the costs and changed its land use rules recently in order to qualify.

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At the same time, some parts of the water/wastewater network are very old. There are 100-year-old pipes in some neighbourhoods and old pipes are a major source of concern in the downtown business area.

Increased utility rates will pay for the existing costs of operations plus planning for the future, said council’s agenda package.

Staff said that the increase will allow them to plan ahead and Prince Albert’s rates are in range when compared to other municipalities.

“This proactive approach reflects sound financial stewardship and starts to position the utility for resilience in the face of future uncertainties. With these rate increases, Prince Albert’s water utility rates remain competitive compared to other cities in Saskatchewan,” wrote staff in the agenda.

Within a residential water bill are charges for operating the water service, sewage treatment and capital works for both.

In-city users will pay $1.61 for every cubic metre of water used where they used to pay $1.50. In 2024, the rate was $1.45.

Sewer rates will rise from $1.33 per cubic metre in 2025 to $1.43 next year. In 2024 it was $1.29.

Fixed charges are also applied but depend on the diameter of the pipe being used, increasing with larger pipes.

With all portions considered, a household with a 5/8 or 3/4 inch pipe using 14 cubic metres of water (3,600 gallons) that paid $96.92 this year will pay $103.61 next year. That equals a monthly increase of $6.69 or just over $80 per year.

Some users pay different rates, such as out of town, trailer courts or commercial users.

The higher rates are expected to eliminate the deficit in the utility fund.

Starting next year in June, a charge of $2 per paper bill sent out will also be applied, and account holders are being encouraged to subscribe to a digital service.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com