Erin to outsource water operations

After years of concern about the cost of running the Erin water department, town council has finally pulled the plug – deciding to contract the job to an outside agency.

The town expects to save over $200,000 per year in a five-year deal with the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), a crown corporation that operates water and wastewater systems for more than 180 clients.

Council voted 3-2 at a special meeting April 24 to begin negotiations with OCWA. They delegated full authority to Mayor Allan Alls and CAO Nathan Hyde to sign a contract without bringing it back to council. 

Councillors John Brennan and Jeff Duncan voted against the motion. They both support contracting out, but said they wanted more information.

“Negotiations will involve a dialogue about the possibility of the Town’s water department staff transitioning into new positions,” said Communications Officer Jessica Spina. “It is anticipated that OCWA will begin operating the town’s water system by August 1st of this year.”

The town will retain ownership of the system, and hopes to use the savings to reduce future water rate increases. More money will go into reserves needed for replacing antiquated parts of the system.

In February, CAO Nathan Hyde issued a Request for Proposal, and received two bids. Town council was not involved in the process, which included hiring an independent consultant, Public Sector Digest (PSD), to compare the bids to the existing costs of running the water department (about $1 million annually).

In closed session, PSD provided council with analysis, and then gave the public an abridged version. Measured in 2018 dollars with inflation at 2 per cent, a bid from H2O Systems would save the town $347,723 over 5.5 years. The OCWA bid would save $1,112,839.

Coun. Matt Sammut asked, “Do you feel a good analysis has been done from a qualitative perspective.” Tyler Sutton and Saramad Mahbouba of PSD said their only reference was the executive summaries of the bidders themselves, who each claimed to have an excellent record of service delivery. The bids were not made public.

“The Town of Erin can expect to benefit from economies of scale and accumulated experience,” the PSD report said. The town is expecting strong technical support, reducing the need for other consultants. 

The mayor said OCWA can do the job with fewer hours and less overtime, since staff service more than one client, and that OCWA will share liability for the system.

OCWA manages 75 per cent of Ontario’s outsourced water treatment facilities, serving 4.5 million people. The agency has already made a pitch to manage Erin’s future sewer system.

Guelph-Eramosa Township used to have OCWA managing Rockwood’s water and wastewater systems, but cancelled the contract 10 years ago, citing unpredictable extra costs. Alls said he has heard positive feedback from other municipalities.

Councillors were warned not to discuss the water service bids in public, because of staff privacy and to avoid harming the town’s negotiating position. Water Superintendent Joe Babin was also barred from speaking.

“The devil is in the details – we would be derelict if we didn’t investigate further, but there are a lot of things to be fleshed out,” said Brennan. “The responsibility regarding quality is on the shoulders of council.”

Mayor Al Alls said councillors should forward any concerns privately to the negotiating team.

Duncan said the decision was “hasty”. He said bringing a tentative deal back to council in closed session would be a normal negotiation process, but the CAO said it would be unfair to OCWA and the negotiating team to have to start the process over again.

Ministry to mediate on wastewater objections

The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change will mediate between the Town of Erin and any residents who appeal the results of the Wastewater Environmental Assessment (EA).

The culmination of the Master Plan and Municipal Class EA process, which was mandated in 2004 and started in 2009, is publication of an Environmental Study Report (ESR), which is subject to a formal 30-day review period. The completed report is almost 2,000 pages, and will be available at erin.ca, in libraries and at Town Hall.

On April 24 town council got a report from Joe Mullan, President of Ainley Group that has conducted Phases 3 and 4 of the EA. They agreed that the review period would be May 14 to June 14.

People can make comments to the town, or make a more formal appeal, known as a request for a Part II Order or a “bump-up”. This must be submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change by June 14.

Eventually, Minister Chris Ballard would issue an order binding on all parties. He could require additional investigation or approve the plan, allowing the town to proceed with funding requests, design and construction.

A similar Part II Order process for the Station Street bridge, dam and pond lasted more than a year.

Mullan said his team would hold another meeting of the Public Liaison Committee and meet with others to resolve concerns. He said Part II Order requests should be as specific as possible, so the ministry can ask questions of the town and consultant.

“The ministry becomes a mediator, and then ultimately a decision maker,” said Mullan.

Ainley has already responded individually to 26 letters from residents. Concerns include costs for urban residents, growth of the urban population to 14,559 in the coming decades, possible costs for rural residents and risks to the natural environment.

Mullan says public concerns have been addressed through technical studies and public meetings over the last two years, but some residents say that the answers to their questions have been inadequate.

The preferred alternative includes a gravity collection system with low-pressure pumping in some areas, a forcemain connecting Hillsburgh to Erin village along the Elora-Cataract Trailway, a plant at County Road 52 and Tenth Line using membrane technology and UV treatment, and an outlet to the West Credit River at Winston Churchill Blvd.

“We have had preliminary talks with senior governments and have received positive feedback,” said Mayor Allan Alls. “This critical project will help us build a complete and sustainable community, which will attract new jobs.” 

After major contributions from developers and funding from senior governments, the local share of the eventual $118 million project could be $20 million. If so, each serviced property would pay an average of $7,500 for construction – though the actual amount could vary per property once the allocation formula is decided. It could be financed for up to 15 years.

In addition, individual connection charges paid to a private contractor are expected to be in the range of $4,000 to $8,000, depending on the property.

Once the system is running, yearly wastewater usage fees are estimated at $500 to $600 (based on rates in nearby municipalities).

Available in the wastewater section of the town website is a Frequently Asked Questions document with information on the project. The Town of Erin Facebook page has an animated video about the costs to property owners. 

Also on the site is Mullan’s 38-page presentation to council with the April 24 agenda. It includes a capital cost summary for all elements of the wastewater system and outlines financing options.

School closure process on hold

The public school board has put the brakes on a process that could have studied the possibility of closing Ross R. MacKay School in Hillsburgh.

A draft of the Upper Grand District School Board’s Long Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP) released this week has no new priorities or actions proposed for this area.

“There is uncertainty around the timing and scope of wastewater servicing, and as such, it is not appropriate to identify elementary accommodation priorities for the Erin Elementary Review Area at this time,” the draft report says. 

“The Board will review LTAP projections and priorities annually and will reflect future decisions of the Town of Erin.”

At a Feb. 28 meeting to prepare for this report, many local residents expressed support for keeping the school open. They also suggested a boundary review to increase MacKay’s catchment area, the transfer of some special education classes to the school, and the possibility of making Brisbane Public School entirely French Immersion, which could bring more English-only students to MacKay.

There will be more public consultation before the final plan goes to trustees in June, including a meeting on May 2 in the Erin Public School gym with a question and answer session.

With the Town of Erin undertaking a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment to determine a preferred alternative for wastewater servicing in Erin village and Hillsburgh, the board has published two scenarios, one with minimal growth and the other with moderate growth.

If the town gets adequate funding and decides to proceed with a wastewater system, construction could start within five years.

Without wastewater, more than 400 student spaces are expected to be empty in Erin public elementary schools by 2022. Ross R. Mackay’s population of 90 students would drop to 64, using only 32 per cent of the school’s capacity.

That rate would stay low without housing growth, but enrolment could rebound to 165 (83 per cent usage) in ten years if new subdivisions are built.

Mixed messages on Erin wastewater cost sharing

Residents who will not get wastewater service for their homes continue to get conflicting messages about whether they will have to help pay for the system.

A document from consultant Ainley Group, posted in the wastewater section of the town website, erin.ca, attempts to summarize questions from the Feb. 2 public meeting.

One question says, “I do not live in the planned wastewater service areas. Will I have to pay any of the construction or operating costs for this system?”

The Ainley answer is, “No. You will not pay anything and will benefit from having a local facility to dispose of and treat septic tank waste.”

Town council has not taken a position on this, but Mayor Allan Alls has promoted the idea that all property owners should pay for construction. The eventual local share of construction costs (after grants are received) could be $20 million.

The mayor says there is some flexibility within the Municipal Act to potentially allocate construction costs to the whole tax base. At the April 24 council meeting, he said, “I’ve been beaten down, but there’s more to go.”

Ainley President Joe Mullan said his firm’s “assumption since day one” is to have construction costs paid exclusively by serviced residents, which is normal practice in Ontario. But he said, “It’s your right to change that.”

In an earlier interview, Alls emphasized that wastewater would bring economic benefits to the entire town.

“When the Town of Erin goes out to borrow $20 million, they don’t borrow it for only a small section of people who will pay that $20 million back. You can’t do it that way. That’s not how it works in democracy.”

He suggested the issue could “bring some people out of the woodwork to run for council”.

Asked how people might react if a high tax increase was needed to cover sewer construction costs, the mayor said, “I’ll get fired.”

The Ainley document says dividing $20 million equally among the 2,672 urban lots (residential, commercial, industrial and institutional) would mean an expense per property of $7,500. The exact formula has not been decided, since costs could be allocated by various factors such as property frontage. But it is clear that sharing the construction cost with rural residents (who are the majority), plus those in unserviced urban areas, would drastically lower the cost per household. 

Ainley says the construction cost could be paid as a lump sum by homeowners, or through a loan from the town, as part of the municipal tax bill. Hook-up will be mandatory in serviced areas.

The construction cost does not include the cost of individual hook-ups, which could range from $4,000 to $8,000. This would have to be paid privately by the homeowner, to a contractor that they would have to hire themselves.

Ainley has sent individual responses to residents who submitted questions following the Feb. 2 meeting. The firm is completing an Environmental Study Report, as the Environmental Assessment (EA) wraps up. It will be open to public comment from May 14 to June 14, and the EA results can be appealed to the Minister of the Environment, as a request for a Part II Order. 

The town will be reviewing its Official Plan to identify specific areas for new housing – a step that has been delayed for several years.

The phasing of wastewater construction could follow many different scenarios, depending on planning decisions and financing.

In one scenario created by Ainley, if adequate funding is received, construction of Phase One could begin in the second half of the next council term (2020-2022). 

About 60 per cent of the Phase One capacity could service existing residents, while 40 per cent could be allocated to new development, allowing the serviced urban population to grow from about 4,500 to 8,864.

Phase Two would be entirely for new growth, and could happen about 2028-2030, eventually boosting the urban population to 14,559.

Extra $604,000 for Town of Erin well drilling

The search for new municipal water just got a lot more expensive, with Erin town council allocating up to $604,000 for at least two more wells.

Exploratory drilling and testing at two sites, as part of the Water Servicing Environmental Assessment (EA), has been a disappointment for the town. Sufficient water flow was not found at the existing Hillsburgh fire hall well or the Mountainview site on Kenneth Ave.

The search will now be expanded, with four potential sites in Hillsburgh and four in Erin village, most owned by developers. All the sites are in the Credit River watershed, (while the existing Nestlé well is in the Grand River watershed).

When the Water EA (separate from the Wastewater EA) was started in 2015, it was based on the projection that the urban population would grow from 4,500 to 6,000. That would have required one new well in Hillsburgh and one or two for Erin village.

With a new projection of 14,599 urban residents within about 25 years, Hillsburgh will eventually need two more wells and Erin village up to five more, according to a report by town engineer Christine Furlong of Triton Engineering.

 “It’s almost like a Catch-22 – if we don’t go ahead with the sewage treatment, we don’t get the population that needs the water,” said Coun. John Brennan, asking if the drilling can be done in phases. “$604,000 is a big pill to swallow.”

 “I hate spending money on the flip of a coin,” said Coun. Matt Sammut, while Mayor Allan Alls said, “This is something we have to do.” All members voted in favour.

The allocation of funds approved on April 3 will not directly affect water rates, since the money will be taken from the Water Life Cycle Reserve and the Water Development Charges account.

The town originally allocated $404,580 to the Water EA, and $215,496 remains unspent. Those funds will be used prior to the $604,000.

Furlong estimated that 90 per cent of the well costs could be recovered through targeted development charges, without reducing other development revenue.

She said the work would proceed in stages, each to be approved by town staff.  Once preliminary drilling confirms adequate water flow, development of the well to production status could be done later. 

A single well can cost over $300,000 because of requirements for extensive water testing, an archaeological investigation, a cultural heritage evaluation and a natural environment inventory and assessment.

One less well would be needed if the two village systems were connected, an option that is under study. Furlong also reminded council that more wells are needed for the existing water system, even if there were to be no growth.

Erin currently operates its water system with two wells in Hillsburgh and two in Erin village. The province requires the town to develop an additional well for each community to provide redundancy (back-up) in case of failure or contamination at an existing well.

Hydrogeologist Andrew Pentney of Groundwater Science Corp. (who has taken over from Ray Blackport) told council that the amount of money being spent on the water search is typical of that spent by other municipalities.

He said it is “not uncommon” to find insufficient water flow at a specific test site, but expressed confidence that the problem is not lack of groundwater in the area.

“The water is out there,” he said.

Erin dips into reserves for unbudgeted costs

The Town of Erin will use reserve funds to cover an operating deficit of $62,924 for 2017, plus an unbudgeted total of $693,388 to complete the Wastewater Environmental Assessment.

Town council agreed on April 3 to fund the deficit from the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve, which now has a balance of $224,881. At the end of 2016, that reserve was at $383,809.

Details on the 2017 fourth quarter results were presented in a report by Director of Finance Ursula D’Angelo. It includes explanations for departments that were over or under budget by more than 10 per cent or $10,000. 

The overall operating budget is about $10.5 million. In addition, the Town had budgeted $7.6 million for capital projects in 2017, but by the end of the year had spent only $2.4 million. Council has agreed to push a list of projects forward to 2018.

D’Angelo also got council approval to cover $693,388 in outstanding costs for the Wastewater EA, to be funded equally between three reserve funds: Infrastructure, Water Lifecycle and Administration Development Charges.

The March 2016 EA contract with Ainley Group was $899,253, and the town intended at the time to budget $200,000 per year towards it for three years. That was done in 2016, and with funds brought forward from 2015, $345,865 was covered.

D’Angelo’s report indicates that no funds for the contract were allocated in the 2017 or 2018 budgets. Councillors made no comment about this, but Mayor Allan Alls said later that covering these costs from reserves was always the plan. 

Also not included in the budget or the cost of the Wastewater EA was $140,000 in management fees from Triton Engineering. When added to the Ainley obligation, the total outstanding is $693,388.

“I want to know how we missed the management fees,” said Coun. John Brennan. “Obviously that is an important part of any project, and something that we need to pay attention to as we go forward.” 

The town’s 51 reserve accounts were up by about $1 million at the end of 2017, to a total of $9.1 million, and are projected to be almost $10 million by the end of 2018.

The fourth quarter report shows the administration department 19 per cent over budget, partly because better tax collection reduced income from penalties and interest.

Administration expenses were also higher than expected by 14 per cent, with an extra $90,000 in labour costs due to staff changes, and an extra $28,000 for temporary administrative support. Insurance and deductibles were higher by $52,000 due to “ongoing corporate matters”.

The planning budget took a hit of $64,665 in legal fees for the successful defense of the Angelstone Farms zoning bylaw at an Ontario Municipal Board hearing.

Planning revenue of $18,100 was just 53 per cent of the budget projection, while labour costs were 21 per cent over budget at $37,214. On the positive side, consulting services cost only $5,600, instead of the expected $39,900.

For bylaw enforcement and crossing guards, there was an extra $5,000 for labour costs and an extra $7,982 (100 per cent over budget) for legal fees. Revenue was only $950 (43 per cent of budget).

There were many positive and negative variances in the recreation department, including an extra $103,000 in labour costs due to staff changes. Facility rental income was down by $15,000 at the Erin Community Centre due to lower activity, and revenue from baseball diamond and soccer field rentals was lower due to rain-outs. 

Council has voted in favour of doubling its general liability insurance coverage from $25 million to $50 million, for a premium increase of $1,500 annually. The full insurance contract with Jardine Lloyd Thompson Canada Inc. has an annual premium of $127,862.

Erin gets wastewater pep talk

The Town of Erin got an enthusiastic endorsement of the benefits of developing a wastewater system, from a similar community that is “now dealing with a growth explosion”.

The pep talk came from Jane Torrance, a councillor from Mississippi Mills, located about 20 minutes west of Ottawa. She was the guest speaker at the bi-annual Mayor’s Breakfast, March 28 at the Erin Legion, with about 100 business people and community members attending.

Mayor Allan Alls said the recent trend of allowing the severance of rural properties “has pretty well come to an end”, since the province has imposed a prime agricultural designation on most land previously classed as secondary agricultural.

“Our growth has to be in the urban areas, and we need wastewater to make that happen,” he said.

Torrance said her town’s 75-year-old sewer system had reached full capacity.

“Our challenge to growth was wastewater – we were saying no to development,” she said. With ten years of planning, one third funding each from the federal and provincial government, and the use of development charges, they were able to complete construction of a new state-of-the-art wastewater plant in 2012 for $28 million. It is operated by the Ontario Clean Water Agency.

 “There are more kids moving in – we’re focusing on a family population so we can be sustainable in the long term,” said Torrance. Their town banned estate lot subdivisions many years ago. “We can’t just build one type of housing. What type of housing is good for families? And bungalow townhouses are popular with seniors.”

More local employment means fewer commuters, and people who grew up in the town are more likely to move back.

Mississippi Mills has similarities to the Town of Erin, with a population of 13,500, including about 5,000 in Almonte, their largest urban area (and the only one with sewers). There are several other communities in their town including Pakenham, site of a major ski hill.

While Torrance described the growth as an explosion, it has meant only about 1,000 new residents since the new wastewater plant was completed. More significant, however, was the arrival of six substantial business developments including a mall, providing employment and revenue.

“Expanding the tax base means spreading the cost over more people,” she said. “All of the municipality is benefitting from Almonte’s growth.”

Mississippi Mills has been aggressive with social media and traditional promotion to attract visitors, and all of their materials stress the beauty of their river.

Unlike Erin, Almonte was starting with an existing sewer system, so did not have to install collection pipes or house hook-ups. Also unlike Erin, they had a hospital and a long-term care facility (now expanding). Being in a growth phase, their challenge is to keep up with demand for services such as childcare, and to add enough municipal staff to handle the activity.

There has been a library expansion, trail development, a downtown that promotes its charm, popularity with cyclists, a desire to protect a rural and mill heritage, and growth in home-based businesses.

“Councillor Torrance today showed our community what Erin could become if we build a sewage treatment facility – a healthy and vibrant community,” said Mayor Alls. “Her story is proof of the positive economic benefits that a facility could bring, including new jobs and diversified housing options.”

Alls said upcoming revisions to Erin’s Official Plan will determine exactly where new housing will be allowed, and define “what we want to be when we grow up”.

Residents hope to avoid school closures

When Erin and Hillsburgh parents were asked what they want their schools to be in the future, their main response was “Open!”

About 100 people turned out to a workshop style meeting at Erin Public School on Feb. 28, hoping to discuss low enrolment issues.

The meeting was hosted by the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), as part of the consultation process in developing a Long Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP) throughout Wellington, Dufferin and Guelph.

There will be another round of consultation before the final plan goes to trustees in June. There will be no recommendations on school closures – just further steps in a lengthy process that could lead to future changes.

There was some frustration because the meeting format did not allow attendees to make comments or ask direct questions of school board officials in the public session. Instead, people sat in rotating groups of six and were asked to describe their schools now, and what they want them to be.

 “The discussion questions last night were odd,” said Cooper in a Facebook post. “They didn't address the issues the school communities were facing at all.”

Town Councillor Jeff Duncan called the questions “lame”, since they did not deal with enrolment.

“This was an intentional attempt by Board officials, not even supported by their own trustee, to keep a lid on the community being able to voice its concern over the real issue here of the future closure of schools,” said Duncan. Residents were asked to fill out an on-line survey that closed just two days later.

There is particular concern over enrolment at Ross R. Mackay School in Hillsburgh. Its population of 90 students is expected to drop to 64 in five years, using only 32 per cent of the school’s capacity.

That rate could stay low if there is no housing growth, making it a candidate for closure. With new subdivisions supported by sewers, enrolment could rebound to 165 (83 per cent usage) in ten years.

The discussion groups were able to bring forward suggestions to help boost attendance at MacKay, including a boundary review that could increase its catchment area, and the transfer of some special education classes to the school.

There is also the possibility of making Brisbane Public School entirely French Immersion, which could result in more English-only students at MacKay.

Cooper supported investigation of such alternatives, but said the suggestion of adding Grades 7 and 8 at MacKay would not be practical. Technology courses for those grades are only feasible with higher student populations.

With sewage capacity to support new housing, Brisbane is projected to reach 107 per cent of capacity (477 students) in 10 years and Erin Public School to reach 79 per cent (423 students). Without substantial new housing, Brisbane would grow more slowly, reaching 101 per cent in 10 years, while Erin Public would decline to 47 per cent.

St. John Brebeuf Catholic School in Erin village currently has 238 students, but could accommodate more than 300. Principal Lowell Butts​ said they are holding steady, with the same number of students as in the previous school year.

Mayor Al Alls and Trustee Cooper have urged residents to support development of a wastewater system, but there is concern about the cost to existing urban homeowners. An Environmental Assessment is expected to wrap up this spring with a definite wastewater plan, but an actual system could still take well over five years to develop.

“The town has spent a large amount of money, time and energy in going through the regulatory hoops to allow for growth in our community,” said Duncan.

“I would hope the UGDSB would over the short to mid term allow this required process to play out and work with us.”

Mayor issues wastewater warning

Mayor Al Alls is predicting dire consequences if the Erin community fails to deal with the need for sewage treatment.

In an open letter to residents, he said inaction would bring “unfathomable” risks.

“One of the most important moments in the history of our Town is currently before us,” he said. “This council agreed to accept the challenge despite the hardships that came with it, to ensure a bright future for Erin.”

He wrote an open letter in January on the same theme, but his current comments come after much criticism of proposals in the Wastewater Environmental Assessment at a recent public meeting.

“Erin is a great place to live – however presently, only for a select few,” he said. “Those residents who built our town have been forced to move Guelph, Georgetown or Orangeville when they age because of a lack of Senior’s facilities.

“The children and grandchildren of those residents are also forced to leave our borders due to a lack of affordable housing options. To create a prosperous and wholesome community that works for all ages, we need to address this deficiency.”

He said sewers are needed to stop “massive” pollution of the environment by septic systems, to allow for a greater variety of residential development, to enable business growth (which would offset residential taxes) and to ensure that schools do not close due to lack of enrolment.

He said developers will pay half the cost of the $118 million system, and tens of millions of dollars will be needed from senior governments to make the project possible.

“The costs may be high, but the cost of doing nothing is greater,” he said.

The full text of the mayor’s message can be read in the Opinion section at erinadvocate.com.

Skeptical crowd reviews wastewater plan

Many Erin residents are not convinced that a wastewater system costing $118 million is the best course of action for the town, and they vented their doubts loudly at a public meeting on Feb. 2.

There was a presentation by Ainley Group, the consultants hired to complete the final phases of an Environmental Assessment (EA). The current plan estimates a cost of $50-$60 million to service the existing 4,500 residents in Hillsburgh and Erin village. The balance would be paid by developers as the urban population increases by about 10,000 over 20-30 years.

Limits on the town’s debt capacity mean the project would only be feasible with substantial senior government funding. One resident noted that if the town uses up most of its debt capacity for wastewater, it would not be available to support other important infrastructure projects.

Another received applause after suggesting there be a referendum on whether to proceed with sewers. Several also expressed doubt about the chances of the project being completed on budget.

Some residents are satisfied with the current set-up of private septic systems, saying that problems with aging systems do not constitute an emergency.

“Why should we be excited about spending all this money when we’ve got what we need in our back yard?” said one speaker. “Just leave us alone.”

Another said many people moved to Erin for the low housing density, and that a sewer system would allow developers such as Solmar to “get rich” building denser neighbourhoods.

“We’re going to spend 50 to 60 million so Solmar can build houses and destroy our community?” he said.

One resident reminded the crowd that the reason residential tax bills are so high is the lack of a substantial commercial and industrial tax base. Wastewater service could help correct that imbalance.

Some were concerned about impact on the West Credit River, but were told that the effluent would be treated to such a high level that the discharge would be well within Ministry of the Environment limits. No storm water will be allowed in the sanitary sewers, eliminating the possibility of waste bypassing the treatment plant during a storm.

Ainley President Joe Mullan said the preferred option of a traditional gravity sewer system would provide the “lowest operating cost in the long term”.

He said if the projected cost per household of $20,000-$25,000 (based on full build-out) is offset by two-thirds grant funding, homeowners would pay $6,700-$8,300. This could be spread over many years as a low-interest loan.

In addition, they would have to pay for the connection from their houses to the road, now estimated at an average of $6,000. Hook-up would be mandatory in serviced areas, though it could be delayed.

There would also be ongoing wastewater bills, similar to water bills, averaging $400-$500 annually. Mullan noted that provision of sewers normally causes property values to rise.

Full details of the Ainley presentation can be downloaded from the wastewater section of the town website, erin.ca.

Mayor Al Alls had previously voiced his personal opinion that all taxpayers, including rural residents who would never hook up to sewage treatment, should pay a share of system construction. They are already helping pay for the EA process. In a recent interview, however, Alls conceded that urban residents would pay construction costs (offset by government grants and developers’ contributions).

He reminded residents that all members of the current town council were elected in 2014 after promising to support moderate growth, with wastewater as a key element. The next municipal election is Oct. 22 this year.

“We need sewage capacity,” he said. “The status quo can only lead to further decline.”

He read an appeal from public school trustee Kathryn Cooper, who urged residents to support wastewater service as a means of increasing the number of families with school-age children. A meeting about declining enrolment and potential school closures will be held Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Erin Public School gym.

The EA remains in a public consultation stage, and comments are invited before the end of February. After that, Ainley will work with the town and the Public Liaison Committee to prepare an Environmental Study Report, which will be subject to an official 30-day public review period.

If accepted by council, the EA could be complete by late spring, though the results could be appealed to the Minister of the Environment with “Part II Order” requests. The completed EA is needed to apply for federal and provincial funding.

Comments can be sent to Project Coordinator Christine Furlong of Triton Engineering, cfurlong@triton.on.ca; or to Ainley President Joe Mullan, erin.urban.classea@ainleygroup.com.

Erin rejects wastewater cost cuts

The possibility of cutting back the capacity of Erin’s proposed wastewater system, with a savings of $8.8 million, was rejected unanimously by town council at a special meeting Jan. 26.

The possibility of scaling down the system was discussed previously, and council had asked Environmental Assessment consultant Ainley Group for a report. They wanted to deal with the issue before this week’s Public Information Centre – on Friday, Feb. 2 at Centre 2000, 6-9 p.m.

A treatment system with capacity beyond what is needed even for current population projections will give Erin flexibility for several future revisions of the Official Plan, said Ainley President Joe Mullan.

“The trunk sewer system and the treatment plant infrastructure will service the community for many decades,” he said, noting that some components could operate for 100 years.

 “It was the prudent course of action, ensuring capacity for commercial and industrial expansion,” said Coun. Jeff Duncan, who had pushed for the analysis.

Had council ordered a lowering of the sewage flow rate, Ainley would have charged $40,000 to revise five of its technical reports.

A key factor in designing a wastewater system is the maximum amount of liquid that a treatment plant could handle. This is based partly on average water consumption in the community, which from 2013 to 2015 was 195 litres per person, per day (L/p/d).

A factor of 2.8 persons per home is used in the projections, which is currently set for an urban population growing from the current 4,500 to about 14,600 over 20-30 years.

Ainley has added a “safety factor” of about 50 per cent to the water flow allowance, resulting in a rating of 290 L/p/d. Then, as required by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC), they added an extra 90 L/d/p for infiltration (water that typically leaks into sewer pipes, increasing flow to the plant).

This has resulted in a proposed flow rate of 380 L/p/d. This was criticized as too high at a public meeting last June, even though it is lower than the flow rate of used by consultant B.M. Ross when they completed the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan in 2014.

It would mean a sewage treatment plant large enough to handle an average flow of 7,172 cubic metres of liquid, or 7.2 megalitres per day (MLD). No estimate has been provided of how large an urban population this could support, but it is beyond 14,600.

These numbers were used for the cost estimate of $118 million for full build-out of the whole system, including a treatment plant costing $61.1 million.

Ainley analyzed the possibility of cutting the safety factor down to 15 per cent, effectively reducing the total flow rate to 315 L/p/d, or 6.23 MLD.

That would reduce the cost of the plant to $54.3 million. There would be additional savings on pumping stations and sewer mains of about $2 million, for a total savings of $8.8 million. A portion of the savings would go to developers helping to pay for the system.

Mullan noted in his report that both the flow rate recommended for Erin, and the allowance for water infiltration are both lower than the levels used in the City of Guelph and the Regions of Peel and Waterloo including their member municipalities.

Other factors cited for building extra capacity include the fact that current water usage may be at a “conserved” low level, and could increase once residents are not concerned about septic systems in their yards.

The development of secondary suites on existing properties is expected to increase wastewater flows.