Water costs set to rise in Conception Bay South

Conception Bay South will soon be paying almost $340,000 more for water — with further increases yet to come.

Town officials say the costs are expected to jump in the next fiscal year.

C.B.S. Deputy Mayor John Hicks says St. John's will be using less water from the Bay Bulls-Big Pond water treatment plant when it starts using Petty Harbour-Long Pond. 

And that means C.B.S. will have to pay more per unit of water.

"Unfortunately, what happens sometimes is that the larger town tends to have the most effect on those costs ... Trudeau once said Canada by the United States is like sleeping with an elephant. Well, St. John's is our elephant."

Hicks says C.B.S. will have to restructure its budget to come up with the money in the fall.

The town pays $1.1 million a year for water. The looming increase will see that jump more than 30 per cent.

Hicks says the town has been told similar increases could follow.

"So basically, in about three years, we'll be paying double what we are paying now," he said.