Members of the Humboldt-Wakaw Committee and SaskWater have reached a new agreement.

Upon completion of the system about two decades ago a 30 year pact for users was agreed upon but both parties, including the City of Humboldt felt a new contract had to be restructured.

Mayor Malcolm Eaton spoke about the deal Monday night at their council meeting.

"We have an established rate with SaskWater over the next five years, we have a new engagement process where the role of the Humboldt-Wakaw Water Line Committee has a very important part of the work we do on our system."

A number of RM's and towns use the system that was built in the 1990's. 

Eaton admits the price increase of seven percent is steep but needed.

"We've got aging infrastructure both in the water line itself all the way back to Wakaw as well as locally here. It's just one of the ongoing challenges of infrastructure and nothing is more important than good quality water, that's number one."

Eaton broke the news that that will go back on the ratepayers.

"The city is certainly going to add a percent or two to that so we can expect over the next few years we're going to have regular water rate increases in the range of seven to nine percent."

With that agreement SaskWater will now finalize a $6.3 million upgrade on their system, combine that with Humboldt's new treatment plant and the ever annoying and seemingly frequent water advisories should be avoided. The work is expected to be done this year.

SaskWater is also donating $1,000 to the Children's Wish Foundation for a local child to be granted a wish.

At the meeting, council agreed to move forward with a downstream flow study from the lagoon as they continue to try to improve that system, they are still trying to alleviate the odour plus they need the system to be expanded as it's at it's population maximum. 

You can hear more on the agreement from Eaton below in his interview with Bolt FM's Clark Stork.