Utility Rates
2023 UTILITY FEE UPDATE
Effective Apri 1, 2023, Town of Cochrane utility fees will be increasing to better reflect the cost of providing the service. While the impact will vary from household-to-household dependent on the specific usage, the average home will see a $6.77 monthly increase.
To help residents reduce their water consumption, the Town promotes household and outdoor water conservation with year-round time-of-day watering regulations and offers rebates on the purchase of high-efficiency toilets and washing machines. Find out more: cochrane.ca/WaterConservationResidential Utility Rates effective April 1, 2023
| Utility | Rate - increase in bold | |
|---|---|---|
| Water consumption | 0-15 cubic metres = $1.28 per cubic metre $0.02 (More information on water conservation initiatives including the three-tier water rate.) | |
| Water base charge | $10.71 per month, flat rate $2.26 | |
| Sewer consumption | $2.39 per cubic metre (see below for consumption calculation) $0.07 | |
| Sewer base charge | $14.45 per month, flat rate $3.29 | |
| Storm sewer fee | $5.95 per month, flat rate $0.78 effective March 1 | |
| Waste/Recycling/Organics collection | $26.65 per month, flat rate no change | |
| Eco Centre fee | $5.00 per month no change | |
The Town of Cochrane tracks the volume of water delivered to your home and uses that number to calculate the water consumption amount on your utility invoice.
Water meters are read on the last day of the month. Utility Bills are issued around the 7th of the month for the previous month.
View the sample utility bill online to see where the waste and recycling collection and Eco Centre fees appear.
Sewer Consumption Calculations
How does the Town calculate sewer consumption?
The Town does not have a way to track the water going down the drain, so we use your water consumption to calculate your sewer consumption.
For residential accounts that have account history:
If you lived in your home from November to April, you have an account history.
We calculate your average monthly water usage from November through April. This monthly average is then applied to your bill as sewer consumption for May through October. If your monthly water use is less than the average, the sewer consumption will be based on your actual water usage.
This method of calculating sewer consumption is called winter averaging. It is used to ensure that residents do not pay sewer consumption for outdoor water use during the summer.
If you use less than 5 cubic metres of water during a winter month, a value of 5 cubic metres will be used to calculate the average.
From November through April, sewer consumption is billed at 100% of water consumption.
For residential accounts that do not have account history:
Sewer consumption is billed at 100% of water consumption for November through April.
Sewer consumption is billed at 80% of water consumption for May through October.
Non-residential Utility Rates effective April 1, 2023
| Utility | Rate - increase in bold | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water consumption | $1.44 per cubic metre $0.03 | ||||||||||||||||
| Irrigation consumption (Irrigation Meter) | $2.71 per cubic metre $0.08 | ||||||||||||||||
| Water and Irrigation base charges | Based on meter size, per month flat rate
| ||||||||||||||||
| Sewer consumption | $2.39 per cubic metre of water usage $0.07 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sewer base charges | Based on meter size, per month flat rate
| ||||||||||||||||
| Storm sewer rate | $5.95 per month, flat rate $0.78 effective March 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Bulk water rate Non domestic surcharge | $5.00 per cubic metre $2.00 per cubic metre | ||||||||||||||||
| Bulk wastewater rate | $25.01 per cubic metre |
Eco Centre Rates - 2023
Fees applied to utility invoice | Fee |
Waste, recycling & organics curbside cart collection | $26.65/month |
Eco Centre fee | $5/month |
Waste cart replaced or added when applicable | $55 |
Recycling cart replaced or added when applicable | $87 |
Organics cart replaced or added (bylaw sets the size) when applicable | $87/240L $55/120L |
Additional waste cart collection rate when applicable | $15/month/cart |
Additional recycling cart collection rate when applicable | $7.55/month/cart |
Additional organics cart collection rate when applicable | $7/month/cart |
Payment types VISA, Mastercard & Interac. Cash not available at this time. | Fee |
Excess waste bag (set out 1m from waste cart on collection day, max 3 bags ) | $3.50 |
Eco Centre pay-as-you-throw clear bag (no recycling, no organics) | $3 |
Eco Centre pay-as-you-throw truck load | $30/load |
Eco Centre appliance - fridge, freezer, water cooler, air conditioner | $40 |
Eco Centre appliance - stove, washer, dryer, dishwasher, furnace | $30 |
Eco Centre appliance - hot water tank | $15 |
Compost event (2 per year) | Free |
Shredding event (1 per year) | Free |
Borrowing event Containers | Free |