Statement: Town of Erin Council on the Wastewater Treatment Plant

Date: Mar 23, 2021

The Town of Erin Council would like to reiterate a few facts about our Wastewater Treatment Plant project and dispel some of the rumours circulating within our community.

Here are some facts to be aware of:

  • Two sites were identified in the Environmental Assessment (EA) and numerous and thorough studies were conducted. The current site of the plant was approved by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and all stakeholders including the Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC), based on study findings.
  • The sites were disclosed at the public meetings for the EA, discussed at Council meetings and the information has been available to public.
  • The site for the plant costs $2 to the Town.
  • The Town has not started any work on the wastewater treatment plant site as it is only in the design phase at the moment. However, the land adjacent to the chosen site is a private property and farming activities continue on it.
  • The wastewater project has gone through a very thorough environmental assessment and has been approved by the MECP.
  • We worked with CVC, leading engineering, environmental and planning firms that specialize in these areas.
  • According to WSP, our technical consultant firm, this plant will adhere to one of the strictest effluent requirements in North America.
  • Although, the ESR concluded that it was not necessary to reduce the effluent temperature, we will monitor the temperature of the effluent after construction to ensure it meets the necessary environmental requirements.
  • The full build out of the wastewater treatment plant will occur in stages over many years. If it is deemed necessary to reduce the effluent temperature in the future, suitable mitigating actions will be incorporated at that time.
  • The project will be built in phases, with construction expected to start in Summer 2021.

Developers are paying for the costs associated with the building the wastewater treatment plant and main trunk lines. In the coming weeks we are looking forward to sharing some important updates with regards to financial agreements in place with the development community for the wastewater project. Rest assured that the Town of Erin will be applying for funding to help subsidize the current costs estimates to residents.

There is no cost to rural residents as they will not be connecting to the new system.

Urban residents, who will be connecting to the system, will have to pay the following costs:

  • Connection: Each existing house, in the urban area, will pay to connect their home to the pipeline. This cost will fluctuate depending on the distance from the house to the pipe. Average Connection Cost: $4,000 - $8,000
  • Annual Costs: Once the facility is built and the home is connected, user fees will be applied. The average costs are based off a review of wastewater rates in nearby municipalities. Annual Average User Cost: $500 - $600

The construction cost for bringing the sewer pipes to the community, and the associated road repairs, which will be covered by the Town, is anticipated to be approximately $15,000-$18,000 per household. This cost will be recovered through property taxes after the house has been connected to the sewer lines, and could be potentially spread out over 10 to 15 years.

The Town of Erin will be applying for funding to help subsidize the current costs estimates to residents. The exact final cost to each household will be determined by the additional funding grants received by the federal and provincial governments.

We are committed to ensuring that we create a prosperous, healthy, environmentally progressive, livable, and inviting Town of Erin. The protection of our environment remains at the forefront of our discussions as this project moves forward and our advocacy with the higher levels of government is focused at making this project a viable and sustainable solution for Erin and our residents who call it home.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant is a key infrastructure project that is required for the sustainable growth of our community. We want to add new businesses, create more jobs, keep our schools open and spread the tax burden between commercial and residential properties. Being able to welcome more residents and businesses means additional tax dollars to help us replace or maintain the infrastructure we rely on every single day.

For more information, and to sign up for Erin Connections our E-newsletter, please visit www.erin.ca.