Moving forward if you decide against getting your water meter replaced, you’re going to have to pay. With a water meter replacement deadline looming in Strathroy-Caradoc, Council has decided to bring in a $75 fee per meter reading for those who have refused to allow replacements. The motion passed last week and would allow for 6 attempts to contact the resident before the additional fee would be issued. Forms of contact include door hangers, phone calls, an introduction letter, a reminder letter, a trifold appointment notice brochure, and a final notice. The replacements allow for remote readings but the Municipality says some residents are apprehensive about allowing technicians onto their property.
There have been 5,800 installations of meters completed since August when this project commenced which makes the project about 90% finished. But according to council reports there are just over 600 residents refusing to allow technicians on their property.
Ward 2 Councillor Neil Flegel opposed the motion asking about considering the province’s COVID-19 restrictions during the project.
CAO Fred Tranquilli responded via the Council Zoom call meeting.
“This whole project has been under way since the pandemic started without incident. We are at the point now where we must finish this program or the municipality will incur additional significant costs, so the issue is really that there is no pandemic-related reason for this work not to proceed. All of the precautions are in place. They have been from the beginning.”
Tranquilli went on to say “There are some who refuse to participate because they don’t believe they have to, and that’s unfortunately quite a large number. This is a mandatory program. It is not optional for people to decide they don’t want their water meter replaced, and some are using the pandemic as a reason.”
