CloseFor North and South Pender Harbour water services, the SCRD is implementing a new water rate structure for utility billing. Beginning January 1, 2026, properties will transition from a flat-rate user fee to a volumetric user fee based on meter size and actual water consumption.
What’s Changing?
The flat rate is changing to a Base Charge of $850 annually, billed quarterly ($212.50 per quarter). The Base Charge includes a water consumption allowance of 46 cubic meters (m³) – 46,000 liters (approximately 500 litres a day) – of water use each quarter at no additional charge.
Water used beyond the 46 m³ quarterly allowance will be charged at $4.00 per m³. Please note that service connections larger than ¾” will be billed a higher Base Charge.
Wastewater services in the North / South Pender Harbour water service areas will also move to quarterly billing. To help residents prepare, the SCRD has already provided two cycles of mock bills.
Are you in the Regional Water Service? Learn about your utility billing here.
October 30, 2025 October 30, 2026
Important Information about your Account
Your Utility Account Number is Changing.
With volumetric billing starting in 2026, your property has been
assigned a new utility account number.
Your previous annual utility account number will become inactive. Do not continue to make payments on your previous account.
Learn More
Water Service Rates
A new volumetric water rate structure will take into account actual water use at a property. Rates for 2026 can be found below.
| Water Service | 2026 Rates |
|---|---|
| North Pender | Base Charge (First 46m3) $212.50 / Quarter Volumetric Rate is $4:00/m3 |
| South Pender | Base Charge (First 46m3) $212.50 / Quarter Volumetric Rate is $4:00/m3 |
The rates listed above do not include Land Charges, also known as parcel tax which make up a portion of your property tax. These are billed by the Provincial Government separately to utilities.
Wastewater Services Rates
All residents who receive wastewater (sewer) services from the SCRD will now receive their annual bills quarterly. If residents receive water and wastewater, they will receive a quarterly bill with both services on it. Wastewater Rates are still a flat rate, and not based on volumetric use.
In 2026, this applies to:
- Greaves Road Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Painted Boat Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Merrill Crescent Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Lee Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Lily Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Sakinaw Ridge Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Canoe Road Wastewater Treatment Plant
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Greaves (billed quarterly) | $600 (billed in four installments) |
| Lee Bay (billed quarterly) | $402 (billed in four installments) |
| Merrill (billed quarterly) | $600 (billed in four installments) |
| Canoe (billed quarterly) | $624 (billed in four installments) |
| Lily Lake (billed quarterly) | $404 (billed in four installments) |
| Painted Boat (billed quarterly) | $502 (billed in four installments) |
| Sakinaw Ridge (billed quarterly) | $879.42 (billed in four installments) |
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Greaves (billed quarterly) | $827 (billed in four installments) |
| Lee Bay (billed quarterly) | $565 (billed in four installments) |
| Canoe (billed quarterly) | $985.31 (billed in four installments) |
| Merrill (billed quarterly) | $1,948.25 (billed in four installments) |
| Lily Lake (billed quarterly) | $1,143.48 (billed in four installments) |
| Painted Boat (billed quarterly) | $650 (billed in four installments) |
| Sakinaw Ridge (billed quarterly) | $1,323.63 (billed in four installments) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find answers to some common questions about changes to how the SCRD will bill for water in the North and South Pender water service areas.
Up until now, SCRD water customers have paid a flat rate for water. The volumetric billing project will introduce a new way of billing for SCRD water customers that will result in some charges on your bill based on your water use. This method of billing uses water meter data and can help encourage conservation and cover the costs of maintaining and upgrading SCRD water systems.
The mock bill is an educational tool, illustrating how future water billing will work using the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD)’s quarterly volumetric billing system. It gives you an example based on your property’s recent water use. Residents in North and South Pender Harbour will receive the first “real” bill in April 2026.
Residents in the Regional Water Service will receive mock bills in 2026, with real volumetric billing in 2027.
Water meters are read monthly, and bills will be produced quarterly (every 3 months) based on those readings. The bills could have 2 types of charges – Base and Consumption charges.
The Base Charge is a fixed cost for treating and delivering up to 46 cubic meters (m3) of water per quarter to the property. If the total water use if over 46m3, then the Volumetric Rate (Consumption) is applied. The Volumetric Rate is the charge per m3 of water (1,000 litres) that exceeds 46m3 per quarter.
It’s a standard unit used to measure water usage. One cubic meter equals 1,000 litres of water. Or, to be technical, the volume of water which occupies a 1m x 1m x 1m cube – that’s a lot of water; it also weighs 1,000 kgs or 2,205 lbs!
The SCRD requires one water meter per water service connection. Typically, stratas only have one water service connection that is directly connected to an SCRD water main.
The SCRD will not sub-meter individual units for the following reasons:
- Water pipes and connections within the strata are owned and maintained by the strata.
- Water use such as leakage of pipes within the strata would be unaccounted for.
- Due to the plumbing layout, especially in existing apartment buildings, the installation of water meters would involve removal of partitions and ceilings, which would be very expensive.
- There may be common water use, e.g. irrigation system, common laundry, etc. within the strata which would require separate meters.
No. The utility account is connected to the Property, not the people living on the property. The SCRD’s billing process requires that the utility bill will be sent to the landowner of the property. The landowner is ultimately responsible for the bill and any outstanding debt, which can be transferred to property taxes if unpaid.
You’ll notice a new look and more information when you log into the MySCRD website. The SCRD is updating its bills and mySCRD online payment portal to include information on water use.