The Town of Erin has raised more than $180 million from the development community for the construction of the wastewater plant and the main trunk lines. 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 unit in Erin and $10,000 per single detached unit in Hillsburgh (this is above and beyond the significant development charges).
Rural residents will not be financially contributing to the construction of the project.
The main costs to urban residents are:
- Connection: Each existing house, in the urban area, will pay to connect their home to the pipeline. This cost will fluctuate depending on the distance from the house to the pipe.
Average Connection Cost: $10,000 - $20,000
- Annual Costs: Once the facility is built and the home is connected, user fees will be applied. The average costs are based off a review of wastewater rates in nearby municipalities.
Annual Average User Cost: $500 - $600
The construction cost for bringing the sewer pipes to the community, and the associated road repairs, which will be covered by the Town, is anticipated to be approximately $70,000 - $80,000 per household. This cost will be recovered through property taxes after the house has been connected to the sewer lines, and could be potentially spread out over 10 to 15 years.
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. Council is committed to making this project as affordable as possible and continues to advocate for funding to the higher levels of government.