Day after Ontario announced an extra grant of $13 million to Durham municipalities to offset any 2021 tax increases, Durham Regional Council has approved the 2021 water supply and sanitary sewer user rates, with a combined increase of 0.75 percent.
A council statement said the increase works out to $1.93 per quarterly billing ($7.72 per year) for the average Durham Region household. It did not define an average Durham household.
In addition to ongoing maintenance and operation of the water supply and sanitary sewage systems, Durham Region has several planned major capital projects for 2021 including:
- Replacing 14.1 kilometres of watermain and sanitary sewer pipe.
- System expansions including the trunk sanitary sewer on Taunton Road and Brock Road in the City of Pickering and Phase 3 of the Courtice Feedermain and Trunk Sanitary Sewer in the Municipality of Clarington.
- Preliminary and detailed design for the replacement of the Hortop Water Pumping Station in the City of Oshawa and the new Water Street Sanitary Sewage Pumping Station in the Township of Scugog.
- New Cannington well and pumphouse in the Township of Brock.
- Upgrades to the Lake Simcoe Water Pollution Control Plant in the Township of Brock.
These approved user rates cover costs related to system operation and capital projects and take into account continued increased residential consumption into 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic with more residents continuing to work and study at home. The approved user rates will take effect on January 1, 2021, the statement said.
Continued investment in an aging municipal water system is required to protect this important resource, and to meet obligations under the Safe Drinking Water Act, it added.
The region’s water and sanitary sewer user rates are reviewed on an annual basis, with recommendations made to Regional Council in December. For more information on Durham Region’s water and sanitary sewer user rate increases and the 2021 consolidated water supply and sanitary sewerage business plans and budgets, visit durham.ca/Budget. Information on Durham Region’s water and sanitary sewer system is available at durham.ca/WaterAndSewer.
“At the region, we strive to serve Durham taxpayers through responsive, effective and fiscally sustainable service delivery, and investing in our municipal water and sanitary sewer system is one of the important investments we can make. No other service has greater impact on our everyday life than safe drinking water and the protection of our water environment,” said John Henry, Regional Chair and CEO, Region of Durham.