Water Utility

HYDRANT FLUSHING WILL BE HAPPENING FROM OCTOBER 7TH TO OCTOBER 28TH, 2024. YOU MAY EXPERIENCE A DISCOLOURATION OR LOSS OF PRESSURE DURING THAT TIME. DISCOLOURED WATER CAN BE FIXED BY CONTINUOSLY RUNNING WATER FOR A FEW MINUTES. 

WATER UTILITY:
The New Minas Water Utility is a Public Utility regulated by the Nova Scotia Public Utilities Act. It is owned and operated by the Village of New Minas and governed by the New Minas Water Commission. The New Minas Water Commission operates as a separate financial entity with revenues collected from user rates approved by the Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board.

AUTHORITY:
The staff of the Village of New Minas and the New Minas Water Commission has the authority to conduct the business of providing water and sewer services to the service customers.

BILLING PROCESSES:
In accordance with the Water Bylaw and the Utility and Review Board Regulations, Village staff are permitted to enter each property with Village water services to read the water meter on a quarterly basis. Village Water Operations staff must have access to meters when needed.

METERED RATES:
Bills are due within 30 days of the date rendered as shown on the bill. Final bills, are pro-rated and are due upon receipt of the bill.

WATER RATES FOR METERED SERVICE:

Quarterly Base Charges:

• Meter Size
  • 5/8” —     $30.09
  • 3/4” —     $39.93
  • 1”    —     $59.62
  • 1.5” —   $108.84
  • 2”    —   $167.90
  • 3”    —   $325.40
  • 4”    —   $502.59
  • 6”    —   $994.77

Consumption Rate: $0.773 per thousand litres

SEWER RATES FOR METERED SERVICE:

Quarterly Base Charges:

• Meter Size
  • 5/8” —     $44.80
  • 3/4” —     $63.51
  • 1”    —     $98.78
  • 1.5” —   $176.39
  • 2”    —   $275.16
  • 3”    —   $532.69
  • 4"    —   $823.75
  • 6"    — $1,628.09

Consumption Rate: $0.75 per thousand litres

E-BILLING OPTION:
The Village of New Minas is now offering residents the opportunity to receive notices as an attachment in an e-mail, rather than by regular mail.  In order to receive a water utility and/or tax bill, an e-mail consent form must be filled out and returned to the village office.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:
The Village of New Minas currently accepts the following payments:

• Cash -Debit
• Cheque -Pre-Authorized Payments
• Post-Dated Cheques
• On-line payments*

Most banks: New Minas Water Commission
The Credit Union: New Minas, Village of

*Payments must be received no later than the due date. For example, if you pay on the 28th we will receive it by the 29th and no interest charges will be applied. If you pay on the 29th, we will not receive it on time and you may be subjected to interest.

PRE-AUTHORIZED SET-UP:
The Village of New Minas is pleased to offer a convenient way to pay your water utilities: Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD). It’s a quick and convenient way to manage your utilities either by paying once a month or four times a year, January, April, July & October. The payments will come out of your account the last day of the month, or the first business day of the preceding month on a weekend or holiday.

To start using PAD complete the supplied Payor’s Pre-Authorized Debit Agreement form and return to the Village Office for processing, if you have any questions on how to fill out the form or want to know your estimated monthly amounts, please contact the office at 902-679-1878.

INTEREST ON OUTSTANDING BALANCES:
When payment is made after 30 days from the date rendered as shown on the bill, an interest charge of 1.5 % per month will be applied to the amount in arrears.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
The 2024 Rules and Regulations now clearly define the property owner as the Customer of the Utility. New accounts must be opened in the name of the Customer. This means that tenants will no longer be able to open water accounts in their name. The Utility acknowledges the previous practice of permitting tenants to be Customers and the fact that there are likely still some tenant Customers of the Utility. That said, the Utility shall no longer accept applications from tenants and those tenants who are currently Customers shall remain jointly and severally liable, along with the property owner, for the costs of the water service. In simple language this means that uncollected accounts are ultimately the responsibility of the property owner.

Bills will be issued quarterly and are due 30 days after date rendered. The Water Utility has the right to disconnect water services on any account, which is 40 days in arrears, if payment arrangements are not made to the satisfaction of the Village.

Failure to pay or make arrangements ten days past the specified due date a disconnection letter will be sent out with a disconnection date, WATER SERVICES WILL BE DISCONNECTED AT THAT TIME. Water shut off and turn on fee will be charged in accordance with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board regulations.