Water Meters Proposed

A Liberal backbencher says it's time Ontarians started paying the full cost of having safe drinking water to help pay for much needed upgrades to pipes and other infrastructure.

David Caplan, a former health minister, says his private member's bill follows up on leftover business from the inquiry into the tainted water tragedy that killed seven people in Walkerton in 2000.

The bill calls for metering of all water usage so people pay the full cost of water and waste-water services, which Caplan admits will mean homeowners will see higher bills.

He says water bills would work out roughly to the same amount people currently pay for high-speed Internet service, which is about $50 a month.

Caplan says his bill would also mandate public ownership of water, which he believe is ``critically important'' given moves around the world to privatize water supplies.

Private member's bills rarely become law in Ontario, but Caplan says he hopes the government will adopt the ideas in its own legislation if his bill isn't approved.