Payment plans have been worked out with 470 customers to collect more than 391 thousand dollars in overdue water bills. Councillor David Merrithew, who chairs the city’s finance committee, calls it a start.
The finance committee was told as of the end of February, almost 2 million dollars was owed from water bills that are more than 180 days overdue. Merrithew says shutting off the water is a last resort.
Saint John Water recording a surplus of $667 thousand because of a big drop in expenses because revenue from flat water rates is down 262 thousand dollars, in part, due to there being more demolitions of buildings and abandoned properties than budgeted for.
Metered revenue was also down because of lower consumption than was anticipated.
