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A town hall meeting will be held on May 21 to discuss SaskWater buying the city's water plant. (Nikita Ganovicheff/meadowlakeNOW)
SaskWater Deal

City holding town hall to discuss SaskWater deal

May 19, 2019 | 8:00 AM

City council will be holding a town hall meeting on May 21 at 7 p.m. to hear feedback about a proposal from SaskWater to buy Meadow Lake’s water treatment plant.

“We know it would be a fairly significant change to the way water services are operated, which is why we want the community’s feedback before any decisions are made,” said City Manager Jessica Walters.

In the proposal, SaskWater would buy the city’s water plant, water ponds and intake pumps. SaskWater would then be responsible to maintain water treatment assets and meet all current and future water regulations. The Crown corporation would also take over operation of the city’s sewage treatment plant.

The city would still bill residents under a rate set by the council. The water reservoirs, sewage lift stations, lagoons and underground infrastructure would still be owned by the city.

If the proposal is accepted, the city and SaskWater will enter a 30 year agreement where the rates charged to the city by SaskWater will be fixed for the first seven years.

At the town hall, the city will also be presenting information about the current challenges related to water treatment and distribution in the community.

According to the city, Meadow Lake has some of the lowest water rates in the province for communities with populations over 4,000. However, in order to cover rising costs, water rates will be increased whether or not the city signs an agreement with SaskWater.

The city said water costs have been steadily increasing due to regulation changes, water quality issues and rising chemical costs. Distribution costs have also been increasing due to increased repairs to water and sewer lines.

“We are really hoping to have people come to the meeting on Tuesday night if they have any questions, comments or concerns about this proposal,” said Walters.

The city is also asking for feedback on the proposal through an online community survey which is open until the end of May.

nikita.ganovicheff@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @Nikitaganov