The Board of Trustees for Placencia Water Board and Placencia Sanitation Co. Ltd re-assessed the rates being charged for garbage pick-up services. Their findings proved that all customers of similar nature were not being charged the same. Some establishments were not being charged at all. Having a company that has always been operating at a loss and always in need of the funds from other entities (namely The Village Council and The Water Board), the Boards confirmed that shortage of income due to lack of a standardized charging system is one reason why the company has been failing.

Other reasons include the initial purchase of old equipment that kept on having mechanical failure which the Water Board tried to fix by purchasing a tractor and a flat bed truck. Another reason is the fixed cost of servicing of a loan, the rising cost of fuel for the trucks, and salaries. The Company has always been managed on a negative budget due to the lack of income and the high operating costs.

Both Boards then decided that the problem needs to be rectified. They standardized the rates being charged for businesses by categorizing all the types of businesses of similar nature. The charges are not based on volume of garbage produced, but is rather based by service. Households were not affected in any way; adjustment was made only to businesses. In some cases, some businesses have not seen an increase, but a decrease, while some businesses remain the same.

The categorization is shown on the following table.
ANY ESTABLISHMENT WITH THREE ( 3) OR MORE COMBINED BUSINESSES WILL BE CHARGED AT THE COMBINED RATES LESS 10% ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST 5.

ANY ESTABLISHMENT WITHOUT A WATER METER, THE CHARGES WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE LANDLORD’S BILL

GROUPS CATEGORY TYPE OF BUSINESS FEE

SMALL

A HOTELS 2 - 6 ROOMS
GIFT SHOPS
MASSAGE PARLOURS
DIVE SHOPS REAL ESTATE OFFICE
BUSINESS OFFICES
LAUNDROMATS
ART GALLERY
OTHER BUSINESS LIKE

$42.00

B HOTEL 7 – 12 ROOMS
RESTAURANTS UP TO 4 TABLES (12 CHAIRS)
FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
ICE CREAM PARLOURS
BARS
MEAT SHOP
BOUTIQUES
BAKERIES
OTHER SMALL SHOPS
OTHER BUSINESS LIKE

$55.00

MEDIUM

A HOTELS 13 – 18 ROOMS
RESTAURANT 5 – 10 TABLES (40 CHAIRS)
GAS STATIONS
VEGITABLE SHOPS (STORES)
TIRE & REPAIR SHOPS
OTHER BUSINESS LIKE

$75.00

B

HOTELS 19 – 24 ROOMS
RESTAURANTS 11 + TABLES (44 CHAIRS)
HARDWARE STORES
GROCERY STORES – SUPERMARKETS
SMALL MARINE OR YACHT CHARTERS
OTHER BUSINESS LIKE

$110.00
LARGE HOTEL 25 + ROOMS
LARGE MARINE OR YACHT CHARTERS
OTHER BUSINESS LIKE

$250.00+ +
CONDO APARTMENT $22.00 PER UNIT