Utility Billing

My Saanich

The MySaanich program provides the residents of Saanich with 24/7 secure, online access to information regarding their Saanich accounts for Utilities, Property Taxes, Dog Licences, & Business Licences.

Utility information available for viewing includes:

Account balances & payment history
Current & past billings
Water consumption history

To access MySaanich for viewing, or to create a new account, click the MySaanich link. All you need to register is an email address, your Utility account number, and your personal access code (this information can be found on the Utility bill).

MySaanich gives registered users the option of paperless (emailed) copies of their Saanich Utility bills. With the email option activated, each time a bill is available for viewing/payment, users receive a notification email sent to the address registered with MySaanich, with the bill attached as a PDF.

All MySaanich users with an Utility account can activate the paperless (emailed) bill option by following these steps:

Login to your MySaanich profile at MySaanich
Double-click on your Utility account number (if you own multiple properties, each will have to be changed separately)
Click on the "eBills" tab on the left side of the page
Choose if you wish to receive your bills by email or paper only (the default is paper)
Click "Change" to save your choice

Water and Sewer Charges on the Utility Bill

The District of Saanich meters all water consumed by customers with the exception of those residents in rural areas who are on wells. There are approximately 30,000 water meters in Saanich. Meters are read once every four months and utility accounts are billed once every four months. A typical Utility bill contains five separate lines of charges. (The first billing period of each year uses prorated water rates.)

Line 1 – MONTHLY WATER CHARGE – this service charge varies depending on the size of your water meter. The standard meter size is currently 19mm (3/4 inch), although there are many meters in the ground that are 12.5mm (1/2 inch), which was the old standard size.

Charges based on size of water meter	4 month billing period
12.5mm (1/2”)	$11.20
Standard Size – 19mm (3/4”)	$15.00
25mm (1.00”)	$27.80

Line 2 – REGULAR WATER RATE – Water rates shown are based on cost per cubic metre. Saanich has a mixture of Imperial Gallon and Cubic Metre water meters installed, but all billing is calculated using Cubic Metres. There are approximately 220 Imperial Gallons in a Cubic Metre.

Rates (m3)	JAN 01, 2013	JAN 01, 2012	JAN 01, 2011
Regular Water Rate	$1.342	$1.232	$1.153

Line 3 – SEWER FIXED CHARGE – this service charge is charged to every utility account within the sewer service area. The fixed charge reflects that there are inherent costs to operating the Utility regardless of consumption.

Sewer Fixed Charge	JAN 01, 2013	JAN 01, 2012	JAN 01, 2011
	$10.32	$10.32	$10.32

Line 4 – SEWER USAGE RATE – this charge is the Saanich portion of the sewer charges.

Sewer charges are based on consumption. Our sewer billing model looks at the current consumption and the consumption from the last two billing periods to determine the lowest consumption period, and then calculates the sewer charges based on that consumption. Of our three annual billing periods, the period that spans the late fall, winter, or early spring is typically the lowest consumption period. Our sewer model assumes that these consumptions are based on indoor usage which avoids summer watering consumption being included in sewer usage calculations. Sewer usage is calculated using rates which are based on per cubic metre (m3).

Rates (m3)	MAY 01, 2013	JAN 01, 2013	JAN 01, 2012	JAN 01, 2011
Sewer Usage Rate	$0.833	$0.833	$0.744	$0.665
CRD Sewer Treatment Charge	$0.718	$0.438	$0.414	$0.394
Total Sewer Rate	$1.551	$1.271	$1.158	$1.059

Line 5 – CRD SEWER TREATMENT CHARGE – this is the portion of the sewer charges that are collected by the Capital Regional District.

Examples of Sewer Charge Calculation
If the lowest consumption of the current and past two billing periods is 136m3 then the calculation would be as follows:
• 136m3 divided by 121 days (number of days in the billing period) = 1.12 m3 per day.
• 1.12 m3 X 121 days X $1.551 (total sewer rate) = $210.19 total sewer charges.
• Of the $210.19 total sewer charges, $112.89 of this is the Saanich Sewer Usage Rate, and $97.30 is the CRD Sewer Treatment Charge.

Large residential customers (e.g. townhouses and condominiums) may be charged a surcharge, depending on the number of units relative to the size of the water meter.

A new utility account that requires a special meter reading is charged a $25.00 fee. See the Are You Moving? section below for additional information.

Please refer to the Water Utility Bylaw for details regarding rates.

Utility bills are payable upon receipt. A 5% penalty is added if unpaid after 30 days from the date of the bill. The provision of water is considered to be a service to the property and therefore any amount unpaid as at December 31 may be transferred as a charge on property taxes.

Seven Ways to Pay Your Utility Bill

By telephone/computer (Internet): You can pay your utility bill by telephone or via the Internet by making the applicable arrangements with your financial institution.
On the Saanich Website: You can pay your utility bill online with a credit card through our payment system.
The Utility Billing Pre-Authorized Withdrawal System
At your bank: You can pay your utility bill at most financial institutions.
By mail: Send your payment to: Saanich Utility Billing, 770 Vernon Avenue, Victoria BC V8X 2W7. Post dated cheques are accepted. Make cheques payable to "Saanich Utility Dept".
24 Hour Drop Box: There is a Drop Box located at the entrance to the Municipal Hall off of the parking lot for your convenience.
Pay In Person: Bring your utility bill to the Cashier on the main floor of the Municipal Hall at 770 Vernon Avenue. Interac is accepted. We are open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from Monday to Friday, our phone number is 250-475-5445.

Pre-Authorized Withdrawal System

The Utility Billing Pre-Authorized Withdrawal System is an optional payment plan which authorizes the District of Saanich to automatically transfer your utility account balance on each billing due date (approximately every four months) from a chequing account at any Canadian financial institution.

To apply, complete and SIGN the Authorization Form in this brochure and return it with a VOID blank cheque to the following address.

Saanich Utility Billing
770 Vernon Avenue
Victoria BC V8X 2W7

Eligibility Guidelines

Only available to property owners.
You need to have chequing privileges at a Financial Institution in Canada.
An Authorization Form must be completed and submitted with a blank cheque marked "VOID".

Payment Amount

The payment amount will be the balance as indicated on your Utility Bill (once every four months). This amount will be different for each Utility Bill based on water consumption.

Payment Dates

Withdrawals will be debited on the due date as indicated on your Utility Bill.

Interest on credit balances

Payments are credited to your utility account. Interest is not payable in the event of a credit balance on the utility account.

Utility Bill

When you receive your Utility Bill (approximately every four months), it will indicate the total amount due which will be automatically transferred from your bank account. It will also indicate the due date on which the amount will be withdrawn from your bank account.

Dishonoured Payments

All dishonoured payments will be subject to a service charge set by the District of Saanich.
The District of Saanich may cancel enrolment in the Direct Debit Payment Plan if two payments are not honoured by the financial Institution.

Requesting Changes

Written notification to the District of Saanich is required 30 days prior to a payment date for the following changes:

Selling your property
Changing your bank account, bank, or branch
Withdrawal from the Pre-Authorized Withdrawal System

Are you Moving?

Whether you are a tenant that is moving or an owner that is selling your property, the Utility Billing Department needs to know. Tenants need to contact our department to arrange for a Special Reading and a final billing. Owners or their conveyancing lawyer should contact Utility Billing when an adjustment date has been decided for your property. Utility Billing will do a Special Reading of the water meter at a cost of $25.00, charged to the new owner/tenant, to finalize billing for the old owner and start the billing for the new owner. Failure to contact this department when a property sells can result in a new owner being billed for an old owner’s water and sewage usage.

New owners should be aware that Utility Billing charges are a charge against the property and a previous owner’s unpaid bill will become the new owner’s responsibility.

Water Meter Access

The Water Utility Bylaw states that owners shall clear or trim any bush, trees, weeds or other forms of vegetation which hinders or impedes access to the meter from the boulevard and further provides for municipal crews to do the work, if necessary, at the expense of the owner.

Please have a look at our Water Meter Access brochure for information and tips on finding and maintaining access to your water meter. Water Meter Access Brochure

Water Leaks

Billing adjustments are available for an underground leak that has consumed an above average amount of water. Effective January 1, 2009 leak adjustments will only apply to underground leaks in the water line between the meter and the serviced building. Once the leak is located and fixed please phone the Utility Billing Department at 250-475-5445 for a Leak Adjustment form.

Leak adjustments do not apply to:

Indoor fixtures – toilets, faucets
Washing machines
Hot water tanks
Sprinkler / Irrigation systems
Swimming pools
Decorative ponds / fountains

Please have a look at our Water Meter Access brochure which also has tips for checking your water system for a leak.
Water Meter Access Brochure

Watering Restrictions, Rebates and Water Conservation

For information on water restrictions, rebates and water conservation, please visit the Capital Region District website.

District of Saanich

In this section