A Vernon business insists water prices have left it high and dry.

Sunshine Laundry Express closed its doors Thursday on Highway 6.

“The water prices are rising astronomically,” said Michael Parent, who owns the laundry with his wife.

The average quarterly bill was about $1,500 when the business opened five years ago and it’s now about $3,000.

The decision to close was made because the lease for the space was up.

“We’re going further into the hole every month,” said Parent.

Besides the three employees out of work, Parent says he’s concerned about his customers who rely on a laundromat.

“There are apartments and low-income housing where there’s no access to washers and dryers,” he said.

Jim Garlick, Greater Vernon Advisory Committee member, wasn’t aware of Sunshine Laundry’s closure and says he needs more information before talking about the matter specifically.

“It seems like a considerable change — a doubling (of the cost),” he said.

Garlick insists GVAC is trying to operate a utility that reflects the interests of customers.

“There’s a price to running the system and a price to replacing what we already have. Also, there’s the master water plan,” he said, adding, though, that the utility may have to look at how high water-use businesses operate.

“Are there efficiencies we could help them out with? Is there (efficient) equipment that could be used?”