Water & Sewer Rates Going Up 5.6%
Aging infrastructure and rising chemical costs contribute to shortfall.
This week, council received the 2025 Water and Sewer budget, which includes a levy increase of 5.6%. This follows the recent approval of the general budget, which will raise municipal taxes by 4.6% in 2025.
Balancing Rising Costs and Infrastructure Needs
West Nipissing’s water and sewer services face significant challenges, including escalating material costs, and the urgent need to repair and replace aging infrastructure. The 5.6% levy increase will generate $367,150 in additional revenue to cover a projected shortfall in the 2025 budget.
Key budget items include:
Digester Roof Repair: $1.2 million will be spent on repairing one of the digestors at the wastewater treatment plant. This repair will restore full operational capacity and ensure compliance with provincial safety standards.
Water Treatment Plant Generator: $900,000 has been allocated to replace the aging generator at the Sturgeon Falls Water Treatment Plant and install a new natural gas supply to the facility. The upgrade will also enable a transition to natural gas heating in future years.
Verner Water Tower Maintenance: $280,000 will go toward restoring the existing water tower, extending its lifespan by approximately 10 years. This interim measure provides the municipality time to plan for a new, larger tank, projected to cost over $6 million.
Rising Chemical Costs: Process chemicals for water treatment are expected to increase by $80,000 due to inflation and the addition of specialty chemicals to improve water quality.
Council is also preparing to develop a long-term policy for water and sewer infrastructure. This will include addressing the feasibility of major projects such as a pipeline to supply Verner with water from Sturgeon Falls, estimated at over $10 million.
The budget and proposed increase will be formally voted on by council at the next meeting.
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Before you sign the new agreement I suggest you request look over their breakdown and numbers for yourself. Once you see they won't allow you your transparency expected you likely find reason to make your own adjustments more user friendly to save your entitlement back from slush funds you shouldn't be committed to nor forced or tricked to be. If it's theirs to pay let them pay and be responsible for only the use of your community passion shared. We are still awaiting our required disclosure for scrutiny before we will commit to civil servants who do not comply with direction or operate transparently as assured. Sometimes it's simply ourselves we need to fix and to identify and maintain your rights to the control and direction of life's travels. Blessings to those who make their lives entitled.
Will Doug Ford's $200 cheque be enough to pay for this increase?