Elk Point Council faced a difficult decision Monday night as it considered a request to forgive utility charges following a significant water loss incident over the Christmas break.

The incident occurred at a rental property where a furnace failure caused pipes to freeze and burst. Water flowed for several days before being discovered, resulting in approximately 1,000 cubic metres of usage.

The property owner requested relief from the full utility bill.

Administration outlined four possible options, including full payment, partial forgiveness of water costs, or a payment agreement. While council acknowledged the unfortunate nature of the situation, members expressed concern about setting precedent.

“If we do this for this one,” one councillor said, “we’ll have those inquiries going forward.”

Others pointed out that insurance coverage and property monitoring responsibilities fall to the property owner.

“That’s what insurance is for,” another councillor stated during the debate.

Ultimately, council voted to direct administration to enter into a payment agreement with the property owner, rather than forgive the utility charges.

Mayor Cochrane acknowledged the difficulty of the decision.

“It’s a tough one,” she said, recognizing that similar situations may arise in the future.

Council confirmed that, historically, only penalties—not actual utility consumption—have been forgiven in comparable cases.