Responsible water use flows from full-cost pricing
"Water charges based on the value of property - or any other fixed measure that is not directly related to water consumption - cannot provide consumers with clear price signals," said
Most Canadians pay less than
Many municipally-owned water and wastewater facilities and systems were built between the 1950s and 1970s, and are due for replacement. But capital investments by municipal governments have been in decline for more than 30 years, and some municipalities have been reluctant to pass costs on to users, allowing a significant but unsubstantiated infrastructure deficit to develop. Full-cost pricing would change the focus of water management from short-term cost savings to long-term service quality and sustainability.
This report, Improving Infrastructure Management: Municipal Investments in Water and Wastewater Infrastructure, is published as part of CanCompete, a three-year program of research and dialogue designed to help leading decision makers advance
For further information: Brent Dowdall, Media Relations, Tel.: (613) 526-3090 ext. 448, E-mail: [email protected]
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