Water rates in Shelburne will be a hot topic during a regulatory hearing in December. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board will host a hearing to discuss proposed new water rates for residents hooked into the town's water system. The town has applied for an increase because their utility is facing a $200,000 shortfall. If approved, water bills in the average household could jump by as much as 70 percent. The utility is in the red due to declining consumption and cost overruns related to a major line extension project. The hearing will begin December 18 in Shelburne.
