ELORA – New watermain connection is coming to some properties in Salem.
On Sept. 30 council heard about an amendment to the township’s fees and charges bylaw in relation to watermain connection and extension fees in Salem.
In conjunction with the Salem Bridge project, Centre Wellington is extending the watermain from the corner of Geddes and Avruskin Streets, north along Geddes Street and west along Woolwich Street to Ann Street.
The project is expected to cost $905,249, according to managing director of corporate services Dan Wilson.
Because the new water supply is needed for growth, 90 per cent of the project is covered by development charges ($814,724) and the affected properties are responsible for $90,525 (33 properties at $2,743 each).
“Which is a fairly good deal to connect into township water,” Wilson said.
However, the property owner would be responsible for then extending the service connection beyond the property line.
“The county’s contractor will be extending the service to the property line and so it would be up to the individual homeowners to hire a plumber or their own contractor to take the service … into their home and adjust their own home plumbing to accept a new service,” said managing director of infrastructure services Colin Baker.
“So that would be their cost and their responsibility to do that work.” He said the cost of the connection into the home would vary depending on the work required.
However, property owners can choose whether or not they connect to the municipal services.
“Voluntary connection means that residents do not have to pay the $2,743 if they choose not to connect to the municipal water system,” Baker wrote in an email to the Advertiser.
“If a resident would like to connect their property to the municipal water system, the fee would be $2,743, payable to the township to offset a portion of the watermain and water service construction cost.”
The township can offer property owners the option to finance the $2,743 fee over 10 to 15 years at the current borrowing rate.
“We do encourage customers to connect into our water and wastewater systems,” Wilson said.
“Partially due to the system’s growth, it provides more revenue and economies of scale but it has additional environmental benefits as well.”
Council passed the resolution to amend the bylaw to establish water connection and extension fees.
To see which properties can be connected visit bit.ly/35nsrit.
