The Township of Alfred and Plantagenet could decide to have a uniform user rate for properties connected to the township’s three water and wastewater systems.
On Monday, December 2, township council received a report from a study on how water and wastewater services should be funded based on projected growth and infrastructure needs. Currently, there is a combined total of 2,380 water customers and 2,177 wastewater customers for the systems serving Alfred and Lefaivre, Plantagenet, and Wendover.
One of the recommendations in the report presented to council suggests establishing a single rate structure for users of all three systems.
Currently, Plantagenet property owners pay a base rate of $57.80 quarterly for water while Alfred and Lefaivre customers pay $77.96 and Wendover property owners pay $77.94. The additional volume charge per cubic meter is $1.27 in Alfred and Lefaivre, $1.52 in Wendover, and $2.55 in Plantagenet.
For wastewater services, Alfred and Lefaivre property owners pay a base quarterly rate of $78.30, Plantagenet property owners pay $96.53, and property owners in Wendover pay $122.87. The additional per cubic metre charge is 10 cents in Alfred and Lefaivre, 61 cents in Plantagenet, and $1.58 in Wendover.
The Alfred and Lefaivre system is projected to increase from 1,027 water users in 2024 to 1,039 users by 2034. The number of wastewater connections in the system is currently 814 but is projected to increase to 826 by 2034. In Plantagenet, there are currently 533 water system users with no anticipated increase during the next 10 years. The 496 wastewater system users in the village is not projected to increase by 2034 either. The Wendover system currently has 833 users but is projected to increase to 1,070 users by 2034. The Wendover wastewater system currently has 880 users, but the study anticipates it will have 1,117 users in 2034.
According to the study, during the next 10 years, the Alfred and Lefaivre water system will require $3,229,000 in capital financing. The Plantagenet system will require $1,894,400 in capital financing, and $1,427,000 will be required for the Wendover system. For the three wastewater systems, Plantagenet will require $16,274,000 in capital financing during the next 10 years, $3,067,000 will be necessary for Wendover, and just $642,000 will be required for Alfred and Lefaivre.
Watson and Associates Limited was commissioned by the township to perform the water and wastewater study. Councillor Jean-Pierre Cadieux asked Nancy Neale of Watson what the sources were for determining the projected increase in properties connected to water and wastewater systems during the next decade.
“I don’t find that correct,” he remarked.
Neale said the projection was based on the history of development charges levied and through consultation with municipal staff. She also said creating a uniform rate will help reduce peaks in costs for each system.
Mayor Yves Laviolette asked if the township could have a metered, volume-only rate instead of charging a base amount. Neale said not having a base rate can lead to deficits because it does not bring in enough revenue to cover operating expenses. She said 80 per cent of system costs are fixed.
Laviolette asked what the average water use for a family of four is.
Neale said 20 years ago, the average per cubic metre usage between 250 to 350 cubic metres per year. Currently, it is 125 to 180 cubic metres per year.
“There’s a lot more education on conservation,” she remarked.
Councillor Ian Walker asked about metering both water and wastewater. Neale said metered water use is used to determine wastewater output, and it would be extremely expensive to meter both.
Walker said he supports creating a uniform rate for all three systems.
“I always thought it was funny to have three different systems,” commented Councillor Antoni Viau. He said different rates for each system made the budget process more complicated. Viau said he also supports creating a uniform rate for all three water and wastewater systems in Alfred and Plantagenet.
