er, the City of Parksville has put proposed billing structures and calculators on their website.
The proposed new rates would still use a tiered billing system, but council is considering adding a base infrastructure fee plus a consumption charge for every cubic metre of water used.
Customers are currently billed for a minimum 90 cubic metres whether they use it or not.
For commercial customers, the proposed changes will make the rates the same as the residential customers; similar to neighbouring communities.
This means the current high-tier levels are reduced to match the levels of the residential rate tiers — meaning customers would pay more.
Parksville and District Chamber of Commerce executive director Kim Burden said Monday the chamber will provide the city with a letter outlining the concerns of its members within the next 10 days.
Four separate water rate calculators have been provided for residential, strata-residential, commercial and large families so users can estimate the difference between the current and proposed rates.
If approved, the revised billing rates will apply for the next billing cycle in March 2013.