Halifax Water is requesting regulators' approval for two more water-rate increases after customers already saw bills jump 12% and another 6%.
Under the plan, the average residential customer would see monthly bills rise by about $7.68 in April 2027 and by another $8.13 in 2028-29.
Here's what to know
According to Your Halifax Now, Halifax Water has asked the province's Regulatory and Appeals Board to approve an 8.4% increase in April 2027 and an 8.2% increase in 2028 for the average residential bill.
Together, those proposed increases would add about $15.81 to a typical customer's monthly bill over two years, on top of the hikes that took effect.
Halifax Water says rising costs and the need to maintain important infrastructure are driving the request. General manager and CEO Kenda MacKenzie said those investments are intended to keep service safe as Halifax grows.
The filing follows the much larger 35.6% increase Halifax Water sought, which the Board rejected over concerns about "rate shock."
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More background
After the Board rejected that 35.6% proposal, Halifax Water applied for a 17.6% increase before revising it to 18.1%.
Rather than a one-time change, households are facing repeated attempts to raise rates over several years, after two hikes took effect.
Water and wastewater service are not optional expenses, so residents cannot shop around or opt out when bills rise.
The concern is not just the size of any single increase but the cumulative effect of multiple increases in a short period.
What's being done?
The application is before the province's Regulatory and Appeals Board, which can approve it as filed, lower it, or reject it.
MacKenzie said in a statement that the utility has "worked to limit the increase wherever possible" while dealing with rising costs, regulatory requirements, and infrastructure renewal.
A decision would affect bills in April 2027 and again in 2028, following two separate increases.
"This application reflects a difficult balance: keeping services affordable while managing rising costs, meeting regulatory requirements and renewing critical infrastructure," MacKenzie said.
Where can I learn more?
Similar fights over water costs and access are playing out elsewhere, from a major rate hike proposal in Virginia to meter-fee disputes in Texas. These stories also show how some residents and cities are responding to water stress and rising utility bills.
• In Virginia, residents and small businesses are sounding the alarm over a nearly 30% increase sought by a water utility.
• In Texas, residents say a $4,500 meter demand left them facing water shutoff threats.
• In drought-strained cities, officials have turned to extreme water recycling as shortages worsened.
• In western Pennsylvania, some residents are swapping utility bills for rainwater tanks and van life.
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