fees

Mississippi's capital only collects 56% of fees from its struggling water system

Mississippi's capital only collects 56% of fees from its struggling water system

Mississippi’s capital is collecting only a little more than half of the money it bills for water use, far below the rate at which most American cities obtain such fees, Jackson’s federally appointed water manager said Monday. Ted Henifin, appointed in November by a federal court to help improve Jackson’s troubled water system, told reporters the city is collecting about 56% of the water fees it issues. That compares to an industry-standard above 95%, he said. The uncollected bills equate to about $50 million a year in lost revenue for the city, where roughly a quarter of residents live in poverty. The revenue losses sharpen the financial strain of the hefty debt burden Jackson faces for its water system.

Fresh water: Quebec to spend $150M annually to protect 'blue gold'

Fresh water: Quebec to spend $150M annually to protect 'blue gold'

Quebec plans to “significantly increase” the fees charged to companies that extract fresh water in the province, Premier François Legault said Thursday. Speaking at the United Nations COP15 biodiversity conference in Montreal, the premier announced his Coalition Avenir Québec government will introduce a bill early in 2023 on protecting water. Describing water as “blue gold,” Legault said 25 per cent of the planet’s fresh water runs through the St. Lawrence River.