Shut-off notices for unpaid water and sewer bills have increased in 2022 compared to last year.
But the overall figure is lower now than before the pandemic, according to data from the Town of Sackville.
“In June a review of outstanding water and sewer accounts were completed, and we have begun the process of issuing shut-off notices to accounts with overdue balances,” says a staff report to council from the latest public meeting.
That includes 100 water and sewer accounts, which together owe roughly $59,260.
That’s an increase compared to last year, when the shut-off list included 92 accounts worth a total of about $54,400.
Shut-off notices are issued for any account owing at least $250 more than 90 days past due, according to town treasurer Michael Beal.
In response to queries from CHMA, he noted there were no shut-off notices issued in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit New Brunswick.
In 2019, shut-off notices were issued to 130 accounts totalling more than $69,000; the previous year there were 131 accounts that received shut-off notices for debts worth about $96,000.
Beal couldn’t immediately confirm how many water and sewer accounts have actually been shut off due to outstanding debts. However, he could only recall one recent example, which he said involved a vacant property.