The Township of Alfred and Plantagenet is preparing for future expansion of the sewage lagoon in Plantagenet.
The lagoon was constructed in 1974 and is running out of capacity to accommodate future development in Plantagenet.
On Tuesday, June 3, township council agreed to acquire more land to expand the lagoon, whenever financial conditions permit the construction project to proceed.
According to a staff report, the cost of expanding the Plantagenet lagoon is estimated at $17 million. The township is planning to apply for funding from the Ontario government which would cover up to 73 per cent, or $12.4 million of the cost.
One of the eligibility criteria for the provincial funding is that the municipality must own the infrastructure (the lagoon), which it does, and the land required for the proposed expansion, which is why council must agree to purchase the additional land. Township administration negotiated an agreement with the owner of an adjacent farm for the municipality to acquire 14 acres east of the existing lagoon. The purchase price is $15,000 per acre, or $210,900 for 14.06 acres. Funds from the Plantagenet Sewer Reserve Fund, which currently has an estimated balance of $484,420, will be used for the land purchase.
Although there is no guarantee of receiving a grant, the Township will require the aforementioned land for the eventual expansion of the Plantagenet Lagoon.
Alfred and Plantagenet Chief Administrative Officer Michel Potvin said the township will be submitting a strong application to the Ontario government for the funding for an eventual lagoon expansion, and the township is making Member of Provincial Parliament Stéphane Sarrazin and Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma aware of the need of the financial support required.
Also, on June 3, Alfred and Plantagenet council decided to set the cost for new connections to the Plantagenet sewage system at $26,520.
The connection rate is designed to manage additional volume being added to the 51-year-old lagoon, which is estimated to be operating at 133 per cent of its design capacity as of 2025. The new rate will allow for up to 100 new connections to be added to the system. The connection rate was previously $3,432.05 and has not changed since 2016. The township intends to use the revenue from the increased connection fee to increase the reserve fund for future lagoon expansion. The amount of the increased connection rate was recommended by an economic consultant’s study.
Councillor Ian Walker expressed concern that the significant increase in the connection fee will completely stop new construction in Plantagenet.
Walker instead moved the connection fee be set at $10,000, but no other councillor would second his motion. Walker said he would like to see the connection fee reviewed once sufficient funds are obtained for the lagoon expansion project. He also said all sewer system connection fees in Alfred and Plantagenet should be standardized for the systems in each village.
Potvin emphasized that the new Plantagenet connection rate is an interim rate and that the reserve funds in Alfred and Wendover already have adequate balances.
