Kawartha Lakes council to discuss possible water tracking options

DAN CEARNS, The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: The City of Kawartha Lakes is going to consider ideas to help residents track their water use.

At a Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, March 7th, councillors saw a memorandum from Ward 5 Councillor Eric Smeaton, which called for staff to “review options [which] consider a means to alert citizens when their water usage is not trending [in] their typical pattern.” The memo called for options to be brought to council in the second quarter of this year.

Councillor Smeaton explained this memo was inspired by a number of residents who have been coming to council for financial relief on their water bills.

“Just different people who have odd bills [which] seem really, significantly out of whack,” he said. “What if we had something similar to what a bank fraud department has? All of a sudden, there is a bizarre anomaly, and you get a phone call.”

Ward 2 Councillor Pat Warren supported the memo, stating it would “save water” and “nip [the issue] in the bud” for residents.

As the decision was made at a Committee of the Whole meeting, the decision still has to be ratified at a council meeting later this month.