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What to expect during Wastewater Construction?
Here are some answers to the frequently asked questions during open houses about wastewater construction
No, there should be minimal noise associated with the sewage pumping station. The pumps will be positioned approx. 10 metres below ground level and submerged under water, which will significantly reduce noise emissions. Potential sources of noise, such as the pumps and HVAC equipment, will be mitigated through the installation of acoustical louvres to limit noise emissions.
In terms of odour, the Sewage Pumping Station design incorporates a combination of passive odour control measures and operational strategies to minimize the formation of odorous compounds within the facility. Therefore, the occurrence of odour should be limited.
All NEW developments will be connected immediately to the system as it is built. The timing of the connections for existing properties within the urban boundary will depend on funding from higher levels of government.
The Town of Erin is currently working on a Sewer By-law which will lay out all details about connection costs, who will have to connect, how much it will cost the residents and options for payments.
The Town of Erin is currently working on a Sewer By-law which will lay out all details about connection costs, who will have to connect, how much it will cost the residents and options for payments.
The Town of Erin is actively considering several traffic calming measures to enhance safety. These include no parking signs, speed signs, traffic calming pylons, increased OPP presence and increased crossing guards around schools. The town's goal is to create a safer and more efficient environment for pedestrians and vehicles alike.
The County of Wellington is looking into implementing traffic cameras. However, it can only be done in school zones and areas that have been identified as community safety zone.
Yes there will be a walkway on the east side of Trafalgar for school children.
Collaborating closely with Denny's Bus Line, the Town is implementing effective measures to ensure the safety and efficiency of school bus operations during the construction period. We have established well-defined bus routes, and maintain open communication channels with Denny's Bus Line to promptly address any schedule adjustments or concerns.
For up-to-date information regarding road closures and detours related to the construction project, please refer to our official webpage at www.erin.ca/town-hall/corporate-initiatives/wastewater-treatment-plant/wastewater-updates. Additionally, we regularly share project notices and updates on our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook and Twitter). Staying connected through these platforms will help you stay informed about any changes in road access and alternative routes.
Depending on the weather, two lanes on Trafalgar are expected to be open before Christmas. Come Spring, the Trafalgar will be closed again until Summer and the detours will be in place again.
As per the agreement with CVC, approximately 5,000 trees will be removed and replaced with 20,000 saplings once construction is completed. These will be indigenous trees and will be monitored for survival and growth.
- For medical, fire or police related emergencies: Call 911
- For any construction related emergency during office hours (Mon – Fri, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm) please call 519.855.4407
- For afterhours construction related emergency call: 1.888.861.2447
- For afterhours road related winter emergencies: Call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122
- For afterhours drinking water related emergencies: Call 519-939-8529
- For hydro or gas related emergency please contact your utility provider
There are significant benefits to residents, businesses and to the future of Erin.
Installing a wastewater system will allow us to undertake measured development over the next 20+ years that is essential to the future of Erin, it will also have positive effects on the economy.
This is growth that we need – growth that we will see gradually over the next two decades. We expect our urban population to increase from 4,415 residents to between 7,000 to 10,000 by 2040.
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.
Also, we currently rely on aging septic tanks and systems that are outdated when compared to systems in other towns across Ontario, and costly to repair. Once the septic systems begin to fail – which is happening in our case – it can be harmful to the environment.
The new system will support the needs of the community by removing the reliance on the existing septic systems.
The development of the system will allow for growth over time, in a smart and thoughtful way that protects the values we hold close.
The risks of not building the system far outweigh any risk of building one.
For example, we currently rely on aging septic tanks and systems that are outdated when compared to systems in other towns across Ontario, and costly to repair. Once the tanks begin to fail – which is happening in our case – it can be harmful to the environment as pollutants like nitrates and phosphorus can leak into water streams affecting local fish habitats or even our drinking water sources.
Many residents of Erin take the time to maintain their septic tanks – an effort that is necessary. However, any tanks that are not maintained regularly will increasingly become an issue that will impact everyone in the Town.
Further, without the project our local businesses will struggle to exist as the costs of pumping and trucking waste will continue to mount.
Without the project, we will not be able to accommodate smaller homes for our seniors, and new starter homes to welcome young families.
We need measured growth and a new system would help bolster our local economy and create more opportunities to share the tax burden and keep our community thriving.
In the shorter term, the system will take the place of aging septic tanks that are costly to repair and harmful to the environment.
In the longer term, it will allow Erin to undertake measured development over the next 20+ years. This means we could increase funding to our schools – one of which is currently suffering at only 36% capacity – and we could open new schools to provide our children with more opportunities to succeed.
We could welcome more businesses to town which would provide more options for you to shop local. We could build new starter homes for our young families, or smaller affordable homes for our aging population.
You can look at this cost as an investment in your property – similar to a kitchen or bathroom upgrade, you will see the value of your property increase with this new system. A new system that you can rely on and one that is better for the environment.
In practice, the lack of a wastewater treatment plant means that our local businesses – the heart and soul of our town – will struggle to exist as the costs of pumping and trucking waste mounts. Currently, the Town’s sewage is transferred to Collingwood, which not only increases the cost of disposal but is not a long-term solution and will not be available as an option forever.
Because of our existing waste systems, we are not able to welcome and accommodate new businesses.
As a community, we will find balanced, smart, and sustained growth that will provide long-term benefits without compromising the values we hold close.
Developers are paying for all costs associated with growth- the costs of building the wastewater treatment plant and main trunk lines, as well as an additional $7,000 per single detached equivalent (this is above and beyond the significant development charges). Rural residents will not be financially contributing to the construction of the project.
The costs that exist for residents in the Village of Erin and Hillsburgh are: the connection from their house to the main system, the construction of local infrastructure (i.e. the pipe that will run through the road and associated repair work to the road), the decommissioning of their existing septic tank system, and an annual service fee once the project is complete.
With that said, the exact cost to each household will be determined by the additional funding grants received by the federal and provincial governments and each specific property.
We remain optimistic and council is in regular communication with provincial decision-makers.
Also, we are committed to making the project as affordable as possible. This means, among other things, offering long-term payment plans as an option available for residents.
Learn more about costs here.
The timing, execution and payment terms of any municipal wastewater lines for existing property owners within the urban boundary is yet to be determined. This will be brought to Council at a later date. All NEW developments will be connected immediately to the system as it is built. The timing of the connections for existing properties within the urban boundary will depend on the construction schedule of the plant and funding from higher levels of government. As it stands, it will likely be quite some time, at a bare minimum four years, before existing properties will be connecting to the system.
Part of being a leading municipality means taking the necessary steps to ensure successful and smart growth.
A new wastewater system would help with this growth and would help keep our local economy alive and our community thriving – by bringing new residents and businesses to the Town. Commercial and industrial properties contribute approximately 2.4 times the amount towards taxes that residential properties contribute so having more businesses come to our community helps everyone.
Like any municipality, there will be annual changes to our taxes, but having a larger population and more businesses will help with managing and sharing them.
Further, any changes to taxes will not be directly related to this project; the Town cannot raise taxes to pay for this project since not everyone in the municipality will be connecting.
We are dedicated to working with taxpayers to ensure two-way communication through our projects and processes.
The reality is, we are falling behind as a town of our size.
Installing a wastewater system will allow Erin to undertake measured development that is essential to the future of Erin, it will also have positive effects on the economy.
This is growth that we need – growth that we will see gradually over the next two decades. We expect our urban population to increase from 4,415 residents to between 7,000 to 10,000 by 2040.
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.
We could increase funding to our schools – one of which is currently suffering at only 36% capacity – and we could open new schools to provide our children with more opportunities to succeed.
We could welcome more businesses to town which would provide more options for you to shop local. We could build new starter homes for our young families, or smaller affordable homes for our aging population.
In addition, our current septic tanks and systems are aging and are outdated when compared to systems in other towns across Ontario. The tanks are beginning to fail, and it is harming the environment - this issue will only increase over time.
We need to invest now for the future of our community.
As a community, we will find balanced, smart, and sustained growth that will provide long-term benefits without compromising the values we hold close.
Through all aspects of this project we are keeping the environment at the forefront of our discussions.
We have consulted numerous experts and are following the strictest requirements in the country to ensure there are minimal impacts on the environment.
A significant portion of the ESR examined the treatment of effluent discharge into the West Credit River. The report focused on selecting the most suitable effluent outfall location. Subsequent to the detailed analysis of two separate locations, Winston Churchill Blvd. was selected as the preferred location to reduce potential impacts on brook trout and to utilize higher flows for greater dilution of effluent, despite higher construction costs.
Learn more about the Environment Assessment and Environment Study Report here.
While Erin does need to grow, we do not need to do it overnight.
The growth we have proposed will be seen gradually over the next two decades. Today Erin has about 4,415 urban residents but that amount is expected to increase to between 7,000 to 10,000 residents over time.
We know we need to be balanced, smart and measured in our approach to this without compromising the values we hold close. We have our Architectural and Community Design Guidelines to help shape the form and character of development in Erin. The guidelines provide recommendations and strategies for designs that ensure the character-defining elements of the community are maintained and enhanced. This includes its connections to the surrounding rural landscapes, its historic downtowns and its ‘small town’ feel.
While change can be hard – especially in a close-knit community with so much charm – we need to do this together and remain open-minded through this process.
The Town of Erin has raised more than $180 million from the development community to pay for the wastewater plant and the main trunk lines. See Financial Agreements here. Developers are paying for the costs associated with growth- the costs of building the wastewater treatment plant and main trunk lines, as well as an additional $7,000 per single detached equivalent (this is above and beyond the significant development charges). Rural residents will not be financially contributing to the construction of the project.
While the exact cost to each household will be determined by the additional funding grants received by the federal and provincial governments and each specific property, our commitment is to make this as affordable to residents as possible by financing the construction costs over a period of 10-15 years, as well as offering long-term payment plans.
The government has said they will not be stopping construction projects because of the pandemic as they help with job creation and driving the economy.
We remain optimistic and council is in regular communication with provincial decision-makers.
Learn more about costs here.
The pandemic has caused unprecedented impacts across the world. We know that governments are focused on providing the support desperately needed to those affected greatly by the pandemic.
The government has said they will not be stopping construction projects because of the pandemic as they help with job creation and driving the economy.
We remain optimistic and council is in regular communication with provincial decision-makers.
We are seeing the need for growth during this challenging economic time and it will require us to think differently, to be bold and to take measured risks to support the future of Erin.
After conducting various studies, including an Environmental Assessment (EA) and an Environmental Study Report (ESR), a series of recommendations and guidelines were identified to ensure we are protecting our water resources and that the project remains compliant with the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) and Credit Valley Conservation authority (CVC).
With regards to the effluent, the ESR concluded that it was not necessary to reduce the effluent temperature, which was also accepted by the MECP and CVC. The Town, however, has committed to install chillers which is outside the scope of the approved EA, which will help maintain the temperature of the effluent. We will be monitoring effluent temperature at the plant site before it is discharged.
The ESR focused on selecting the most suitable effluent outfall location. Subsequent to the detailed analysis of two separate locations, Winston Churchill Blvd. was selected as the preferred location to reduce potential impacts on brook trout and to utilize higher flows for greater dilution of effluent, despite higher construction costs. Further, there are already natural shaded areas that will allow for the cooling of temperatures organically.
Learn more about the Environment Assessment and Environment Study Report here.