Ask West Kelowna
What's new
Council approved the 2023 utility rates for water, sewer, and solid waste services. For residential customers, the changes are reflected as:
- A $16.28-per-quarter increase in Rose Valley residential flat water rates to cover anticipated capital and increased operating costs.
- A $13.75-per-quarter increase in Powers Creek residential flat water rates to fund short-term debt to replace aging infrastructure and to cover increased operating costs at the treatment plant.
- A $5.73-per-quarter increase in sewer rates, to build reserves and to fund debt for future infrastructure upgrades. Half of this increase is projected costs from the Regional District of Central Okanagan, which operates the wastewater treatment plant and a series of lift stations and collector systems.
- A $0.50-per-quarter reduction in solid waste management (garbage, recycling, and yard waste) fees, as a result of the internal cart purchase load being fully repaid.
Meter-based water consumption rates also increased slightly.
For a full list of sewer, water and solid waste collection rates, see the Schedules 7, 8 and 9 respectively of Fees and Charges Bylaw 0028 (Consolidated).
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Rose Valley
Powers Creek
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View your bill and pay online
Register or log in at any time to view your bill online. Follow this how-to document for assistance, if required.
View a sample bill to see how we list utility rates.
When viewing your bill, it also helps to know your service area. Our Water Service Areas Map may help you identify your system.
To pay online, arrange through your bank. For more information on paying utility bills, read our Billing Inquiries and Payments section below.
Billing and payment schedule
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Typical Mailing Date |
Due Date (Unless indicated otherwise on the bill) |
|---|---|
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Third week of January |
Feb. 15 (billing period Oct. 1 - Dec. 31) |
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Third week of April |
May 15 (billing period Jan. 1 - Mar. 31) |
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Third week of July |
Aug. 15 (billing period April 1 - June 30) |
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Third week of October |
Nov. 15 (billing period July 1 - Sept. 30) |
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Annual Sewer and Water Debts |
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If applicable, we bill annual Sewer and Water Debts either in January (once a year) with payment due Nov. 15 of the same year, or we add the debts to property taxes. Sewer and Water Debts are 20-year debentures, which result when a property owner opts to finance, rather than pay out, their portion of installing sewer or water systems in their service area. You cannot pay off the debts early as they are financed under the Municipal Finance Authority, not the City of West Kelowna. For questions about Annual Water and Sewer Debts, contact Utility Billing staff at ub.finance@westkelownacity.ca or 778-797-8850. |
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Online Banking – most recommended Online bill payments can be made through your bank's website or online app. Contact your bank if you need assistance in setting up these payments. Your account number is at the top left hand corner of your bill. Ensure you choose City of West Kelowna - Utilities as the payee. Make Pre-Authorized Payments – highly recommended Sign up for Pre-Authorized Payments by completing the application form to have payments automatically deducted from your bank account on the due date. Please complete the Pre-Authorized Payments revision form for changes. Pay in person at Municipal Hall We accept cash, cheques (current and post-dated) and debit at the cashier wickets at Municipal Hall main reception. Our hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, excluding Statutory Holidays. Cheques, current and post-dated, can also be placed in an envelope, along with your payment stub, and deposited in our 24/7 drop box, which is located next to the municipal hall main entrance. We do not accept credit cards, but we do accept cheques from credit card companies; or, you can arrange to pay by credit card through a third party company such as Plastique or PaySimply. Pay by mail Mail your cheque with the payment stub to our office at: West Kelowna City Hall 2760 Cameron Rd. West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2T6 Ensure your payment reaches us by the due date. Pay by phone Make payments through most financial institutions by telephone. Contact your bank or credit union for more information. |
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Garbage and recycling rates |
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For current garbage and recycling fees, please view Schedule 9 of our Fees and Charges Bylaw. Additional bins and cart changes Additional charges may apply if you wish to change bins to larger sizes and/or request additional bins. Please complete our Cart Change Out Form and submit to ub.finance@westkelownacity.ca or in person at Municipal Hall. Please note: Delays may occur in providing larger or replacement bins. |
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Moving and new accounts |
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Ensure you, or your legal representatives, contact the Utility Billing Department at ub.finance@westkelownacity.ca or 778 797-8850 at least 24 hours before your move in order to close your account and/or open a new account and arrange to have your meter read. New accounts are opened in property owners’ names; a Request to Bill Tenant form can be completed to add a tenant's name as a care-of for reference purposes. |
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Sewer rates |
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For more information, view Schedule 7 of the Fees and Charges Bylaw. |
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Water meters |
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Your meter is radio transmitted. The reader drives down your street and information automatically transmits to a mobile device located in the vehicle. We have readings done every three months. Read your meter Read your meter by shining a flashlight on the digital display. The last four digits on the right are decimal places. Look at the numbers on the left of the decimal. Identify a leak If you see a faucet, this is an indication of a leak, which anything from a broken seal on a tap or toilet to a humidifier can cause. Please investigate or call a plumber to assist with locating a leak. City staff cannot tell you what is leaking within your home or business. |
| Water rates |
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Water rates will increase annually between 2022 and 2024 to pay for maintenance and operations costs and improvements required throughout the Powers Creek and Rose Valley Water Service Areas. The City runs these not-for-profit service areas on behalf of ratepayers and best practices require that rates reflect the true costs of operating and maintaining the systems and covering the costs of upgrading and replacing storage, distribution and treatment infrastructure. Current water rates can be viewed in the Fees and Charges Bylaw B0028 (Consolidated) - under Schedule 8. Water rates consist of several components, including fixed fees to cover operations and maintenance, debt repayment and financing costs and future system replacement and upgrade costs and a variable component, which is based on your metered consumption. You can reduce the amount of the consumption portion of your bill by conserving. For tips, visit okwaterwise.ca. |
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