Chelsea, Que. to bill for ‘excess’ water consumption

Water flows from the tap to sink. (Pexels)

The Municipality of Chelsea, Que. says it is implementing new measures to conserve water, including reduced lawn-watering frequencies and additional bills for “excess” water consumption.

In a release Thursday, the municipality said the new measures are meant to achieve a provincial target of reducing drinking water consumption by 20 per cent.

Chelsea says following the installation of water meters in 2023, the municipality now has the data to bill users based on water consumption, and residents will now be limited to 260 cubic metres per unit. Exceeding that total will result in a special bill at the end of the year to cover the excess.

A cubic metre of water is equivalent to 1,000 litres. Chelsea says, in 2023, the municipality’s estimated water consumption was 358 litres per person per day, or approximately 130.7 cubic metres per person in a year. That’s compared with the Quebec average of 253 litres per person per day, or approximately 92.3 cubic metres per person per year.

“The target under the drinking water conservation strategy is 184 L/person/day,” Chelsea says.

To enable residents to monitor their consumption and modify their habits, if necessary, a statement showing their average consumption will be sent mid-year, well in advance of the final billing statement, the municipality says.

Reduced watering frequency

Chelsea says automatic watering schedules for lawns will be reduced to once a week from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. The permitted day is based on the address:

• Tuesday for occupants of dwellings with addresses ending in 0, 1 or 2
• Wednesday for occupants of dwellings with addresses ending in 3, 4 or 5
• Thursday for occupants of dwellings with addresses ending in 6 or 7
• Friday for occupants of dwellings with addresses ending in 8 or 9

“Mechanical and automatic watering schedules for gardens, shrubs and trees remain unchanged, with the exception of the hours allowed, which are now from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., one hour longer than before,” the municipality says.

Similar measures are in place in Gatineau.

“By using our resources more efficiently and ensuring that everyone contributes according to their usage, we are collectively protecting our environment and managing our resources in a sustainable and responsible way,” said Mayor Pierre Guénard in a release. “These measures also ensure continuity with our strategic plan and our environmental commitments. Together, we have the power to adopt sustainable habits that will benefit future generations.”