Following several incidents during earlier in the year with local businesses and water meters, Town employees were out yesterday checking water meters for proper usage and ticketing those who were not adhering to the bylaws and their amendments.

During the month of Feburary, the Town came across 10 businesses in town where water bypass valves were attached to their water meter. The valves, if in the on or open position, would effectively allow water to bypass the meter, allowing the user to consume water without tracking it and ultimately would not have to pay for the usage.

Audrey Hebert, Interim CAO for the Town of Kindersley, said of the 10, only one was on and therefore bypassing water. The Town has been in processes to remedy the damages from the use of the bypass valve with that specific company and ordered the other nine to remove the bypass valve system on their meters.

In addition to the oversight on the bypass valves, there was one company who’s water meter wasn’t initially registered with the Town and hadn’t been receiving a bill. It was determined that the negligence was not at the hand of the business owner, but rather a mix up in communication upon installation of the meter.

Reportedly, the meter was not registered with the town, therefore, although it was working and not operating through bypass valves, the information was simply not being monitored by the Town and thus, no invoices were ever sent out. Town Council members did state that the business owner was understanding of the situation and was able to pay the outstanding bill for the usage to date.

In response to the above incidents, all water meters are now to be issues through the Town of Kindersley in an effort to prevent similar mishaps from happening in the future. Town Council also took steps to prohibit bypass valves from being installed by making a request to plumbing firms to not install said valves at businesses.

Ultimately the Town resolved to take a more prominent role with the issuing and monitoring of water meters within the town and yesterday’s inspections are a follow up to that commitment. To view the bylaws concerning waterworks and sewer systems, visit the kindersley.ca or click here.