I have read with interest and no small amount of humour the various recent rants concerning the "out of sight increases" to our water bills, the most recent of which claims the water bill has "doubled" (Gazette, Saturday, June 20).
Being a senior, I had been concerned, as we should all be, about increasing costs. Imagine my surprise at discovering, when calculating what I used to pay in 2011 with what I pay now, that my water bill is neither "out of sight" nor "doubled."
There has been, in fact, an extremely small change, year over year, in the neighbourhood of six per cent or an "astronomical" $4.58 per month. About the cost of a latte, considerably less than I pay for cable or phone and half of what my property tax has increased. Arguably not an awful lot for a clean safe water supply and refuse control.
Just for reference, my home is a 1,900-square-foot bungalow with 3,800-square-feet of finished space and several hundred feet of gardens needing water. I can only guess why the gentleman in the most recent comment has seen such a huge increase in his water bill but would suggest that he give serious consideration to checking his fittings and fixtures for possible waste.
Louise Height, St. Albert
