Water Connection and User Charge Bylaw No. 1594 (consolidated) - Schedule A water user charges — full text, Fernie, British Columbia

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THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF FERNIE Consolidated Water Connection and User Charge Bylaw No. 1594 1611, Amendment #1 1927, Amendment #8 2470, Amendment #15 1707, Amendment #2 2050, Amendment #9 2475, Amendment #16 1746, Amendment #3 2161, Amendment #10 2520, Amendment #17 1776, Amendment #4 2200, Amendment #11 2542, Amendment #18 1812, Amendment #5 2269, Amendment #12 2564, Amendment #19 1816, Amendment #6 2313, Amendment #13 1907, Amendment #7 2450, Amendment #14 All persons making use of this consolidated version of the City of Fernie Bylaw No. 1594 are advised that it has no legal sanction; that the amendments have been embodied for convenience only and that the original bylaws must be consulted for all purposes of interpreting and applying the Bylaw. Subsections or sections of the original bylaw and/or amendments, which have been repealed have not been included in this consolidation. Certified copies of City Bylaws are available from the City Clerk. Updated 2026-10-7 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF FERNIE BYLAW NO. 1594 A Bylaw to provide for the imposition of charges against the owner of occupier of real property for the supply of and connection to and use of the City's water supply system. WHEREAS the City has established a system of supply and distribution of water; AND WHEREAS the Council is desirous of enacting a bylaw under the provisions of Section 640 and 641 of the Municipal Act, R.S.B.C. 1979, Chapter 290; NOW THEREFORE, the Municipal Council of the Corporation of the City of Fernie, in open meeting assembled enacts as follows: CITATION 1. This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Water Connection and User Charge Bylaw". DEFINITIONS 2. In this Bylaw: "Bleeder Device" shall mean a device attached to a water service for the purpose of discharging water so as to reduce the potential for freezing in the line. (Bylaw 2313) "City" shall mean the Corporation of the City of Fernie; "duly authorized agent" shall mean a person representing the owner and authorized in writing; "dwelling unit" repealed by Bylaw No. 2161 "water user charge" shall mean the monthly charge imposed herein for a service connection to the City's water system; (Bylaw 2313) "water connection charge" shall be the charge imposed herein for a service connection to the City's water system; SCHEDULES 3. Schedules "A", "B", "C" and "D", as annexed hereto, are hereby made part of this Bylaw. The definitions in The Corporation of the City of Fernie Zoning Bylaw No. 1750, as amended or replaced from time to time are hereby incorporated into and form part of this Bylaw. IMPOSITION OF CHARGES 4. There is hereby imposed and levied a water user charge against the owner or occupier of real property connected to the water system in an amount as set out in Schedule "A" to this Bylaw and a water connection charge against the owner of real property for the cost of providing a water connection to the property line from the water main in an amount as set out in Schedule "B" to this Bylaw. APPLICATION FOR CONNECTION 5. The owner of any premises situated within the boundaries of the City may make application on the prescribed form attached to this Bylaw as Schedule "C" to the City for the installation of a new water service connection. PAYMENT OF CHARGES 6. (1) The owner of real property on which a water user charge or a water connection charge has been imposed is responsible for the payment of such water use charge or water connection charge and notices of billings shall be sent to the owner. (2) Delivery of notice of water user charge and water connection charge shall be made by regular mail and receipt of such notice shall be conclusively deemed for all purposes to have occurred three (3) days after deposit for mailing at the Canada Post Office. (3) Payment shall be made at the offices of the City. BILLING 7. The monthly rates will be billed quarterly. A 5% penalty shall be applied to unpaid balances on the account after the due date for each quarterly bill. REFUND Bylaw No. 1907 Deletes Refund Section PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT repealed by Bylaw No. 1812 TRANSITIONAL 9. The water user charge shall commence from the first (1st) day of the month of water service turn on if the turn on is made on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of any month, otherwise, the water user charge will commence with the first (1st) day of the month following the month in which the water service turn on was made. CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION 10. (1) A plumbing permit from the City is required for Water Service Connections. All water service connections must be made in accordance with the Plumbing Code. Prior to back filling, a water service connection must be inspected by a City Official. (2) All service pipes, fittings and appurtenances which may be required for water service connection shall be constructed and laid from the water main to the property line by the City at the expense of the owner, and the City shall be solely responsible for keeping the same in repair. (3) All service pipe, fittings and appurtenances which may be required from the property line to the premises shall be constructed and laid by the owner, or his duly authorized agent, to he approval of the City and at the expense of the owner, including water connection charges and the owner shall be solely responsible for keeping the same in repair and protected from frost. (4) The City Building Inspector and the Public Works Superintendent as Officer's of the City are hereby authorized at all reasonable times to enter into and upon the property in respect of which water is supplied by the City for the purposes of inspecting the water pipes, connections, fixtures, and any other apparatus used in connection with such water supply and to ascertain whether this bylaw is being complied with. DISCONTINUANCE OF CONNECTION 11. (1) The owner of any real property supplied with water form the City's water system, and who is desirous of discontinuing the user there of, shall give written application on the predescribed form attached to this Bylaw as Schedule "D" for same to the City, and in default thereof, the water user charges will be charged until such notice is given or the water turned off. (2) No credit or rebate of any water user charge paid or payable will be granted or allowed unless such application has been made and the said water service has been shut off for a period in excess of thirty (30) days. (3) All such applications either for the turning off or on of water to any premises shall be made in writing to the City not less than forty-eight (48) hours before the same is required. (4) A water turn on or shut off charge as outlined in Schedule "B" attached hereto shall be made for each and every water turn on or shut off. (5) The water user charge shall terminate on the last day of the month in which water service is shut off if the shut off is made on or after the fifteenth (15th day of the month, otherwise the water user charge will terminate on the last day of the month preceding the month in which the shut off is made. PROHIBITION FOR WATER BOTTLING PLANTS 12. Water Bottling Plants are prohibited from connection to the Municipal Water supply, for the purposes of water bottling and further prohibited from bulk shipping or export of water, for the purpose of re- sale. SEVERABILITY 13. If any portion of this Bylaw is for any reason held to be invalid by a Court of competent jurisdiction, the invalid portion shall be severed without affecting the remainder of the Bylaw. REPEAL 14. Bylaw No. 1410, cited as the "Water Connection and User Charge Bylaw No. 1410" and all amendments made thereto are hereby repealed. Introduced and read a first time this 27th day of January, 1992. Read a second and a third time this 27th day of January, 1992. Finally passed and adopted this 29th day of January, 1992. Originally signed by D. Mulhulland MAYOR Originally signed by Jennifer Bridarolli CLERK I hereby certify the foregoing to be the original Bylaw No. 1594. SCHEDULE "A" Water User Charges (Amended by Bylaw 2542) Fees Increase Schedule The Water User Charge shall increase for the 2026 based on the 2026-2030 Five Year Financial Plan as follows: The water user charge shall commence from the first (1st) day of the month of water service turn on if the turn on is made on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of any month, otherwise, the water user charge will commence with the first (1st) day of the month following the month in which the water service turn on was made. CLASSIFICATION OF USE Water User Charges Per Month Effective January 1, 2026 (1) Single Family Dwellings $34.62 per dwelling unit (2) Dwelling Unit Secondary or Secondary Suite $13.85 (3) Duplexes, Fourplexes, Apartments, Townhouses, Condominiums, Suites & Multi-Family Dwellings $34.62 per dwelling unit (4) Mobile Homes/Trailers (in Mobile Home Subdivisions or Parks) $34.62 per dwelling unit (5) Rooming and Boarding Houses $43.35 minimum plus $ 2.02 per bedroom (6) Hotels and Motels $10.73 per room (7) Cafes, Restaurants, Cocktail Lounges $2.47 per seat (8) Garages and Service Stations $28.51 per washroom (9) Car Washes $65.54 per stall (10) Stores, Business Premises, Offices $28.51 per washroom (11) Barber Shops and Beauty Parlours $28.51 per chair (maximum 2 chairs) (12) Dental office $34.61 per chair (13) Health Clinics $56.96 per clinic (14) Laundromats $13.75 per washer (15) Dry Cleaners $13.75 per washer plus $28.51 per washroom (16) Theatres $28.51 per washroom (17) Court Houses, Banks, Post Office $43.35 (18) Hall (non-rental) $28.51 (19) Dance and Rental Halls/Banquet Rooms $54.37 (20) Hospitals $20.94 per bed (21) Schools $20.94 per classroom (22) Swimming Pools $5.95 per pool (23) Campground $10.73 per non-permanent resident campground space $34.62 per washroom and shower facility SCHEDULE "B" Water Service Connection/Disconnection Charges (Amended by Bylaw 2564) (1) WATER SERVICE CONNECTION & DISCONNECTION CHARGES Water main to property line connection & installation, or disconnection, will be the actual cost to the City for materials, labour and equipment required to complete the connection, plus a $550 charge for administration. The following steps will be taken before commencing work, or invoicing the customer: 1) Charge an initial $550 connection fee 2) Prepare a quote for the work required a. If necessary, obtaining a quote from a City of Fernie approved contractor will be part of this step 3) Provide quote to ratepayer 4) Ratepayer provides OK to commence work 5) Work is completed 6) If necessary, obtain an invoice from the contractor from step 2) a. above 7) Charge ratepayer for all work, factoring in the $550 fee from Step 1) above (2) WATER TURN ON AND SHUT OFF CHARGES Involving: a) Request; or b) Non-payment of water rates and charges; or c) Infringement of terms and conditions of any applicable City bylaw; Charge for each and every water turn on or shut off shall be imposed as follows: d) During the normal working hours of the City employees concerned, the charge shall by $50.00 e) At all times other than normal working hours on the City employees concerned, i.e. Saturday, Statutory Holidays anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. of each weekday, the charge shall be the actual cost of callout, i.e. at applicable overtime rates. SCHEDULE "C" Attached to and forming part of Bylaw No. 1594 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF FERNIE APPLICATION FOR NEW WATER SERVICE CONNECTION Roll No. _____________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Name: ______________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ Box Number: ________________________________________________________________________ Lot: ________________________ Block: ___________________ Plan: ____________________ Telephone Number: ___________ Estimate of Cost: _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ I/We hereby acknowledge the above estimate and made this application fully understanding the cost could be higher than that estimated. Signature of Applicant: _________________________________________________________________ SCHEDULE "D" Attached to and forming part of Bylaw No. 1594 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF FERNIE APPLICATION FOR NEW WATER SERVICE CONNECTION Water turn on only: $ 50.00 Time: _____________________ Turn off only: $ 50.00 Time: _____________________ On and off: $ 100.00 Time: _____________________ Charge: _______________________________ Roll No.: _________________________ Date: _________________________________ Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________ Box Number: _____________________________________________________________________ Lot: _________________ Block: ___________________ Plan: ___________________________ Signature of Applicant: _____________________________________________________________ DURING THE NORMAL WORKING HOURS of the City employees concerned, the charge for turning water off or on will be $ 50.00. AFTER WORKING HOURS of the City employees concerned, the charge for turning water off and on will be the actual cost of callout. All charges for turning water on and off must be paid prior to work being complete