Readers are reminded that taxes are collected to maintain and improve VPID infrastructure — pipes, tanks, and pumps for example. Tolls are collected to pay for operating expenses — mostly internal labour, but sometimes external labour such as consultants to help us detect leaks, or well experts to help us optimize productivity.
Here is the good news: taxes will remain unchanged through 2026. Likewise, sewer tolls will not increase.
However, the VPID board has determined that water tolls should rise by 10 percent in 2026 ( $7.00 per month for most homeowners ) to cover anticipated expenses. In the coming days, you will receive detailed information about your 2026 rates and how to pay if you are not already set up for Pre-Authorized Debit. Though significantly lower in 2025 than in 2024, our operating expenses still exceeded revenues in 2025. Leaks in the system required extra labour to find and fix, some water needed to be trucked in during the thirsty summer months, and several wells produced poorly and necessitated our hiring Red Williams to help us with repairs.
Tolls should really produce a modest surplus to cushion against expenses — particularly unexpected ones. Yet our water operating account has been in deficit for a number of years, and the deficit only increases during years when expenses exceed revenues. So even if we manage (as we hope) an operating surplus next year, that will be a healthy thing to enable us to begin reducing the deficit.
I am sorry to be offering you rather dry and technical descriptions! But our planning always has the goal of improving the overall VPID financial picture. And in the hope that improvement takes place, I leave you with another hope — for a festive holiday season and prosperous new year!