Wilmot council considers adding 23 Petersburg homes to watermain cost-sharing

By Amanda Nelson

At the June 22 council meeting, staff and councillors discussed the ongoing upgrades to the Petersburg Drinking Water System, which now may include an additional 23 homes.

As part of the proposal, those 23 additional homes along the new water main route would be included in the project's cost-sharing. Staff said these properties would be able to connect to the municipal water system once the new infrastructure is in place.

Staff also recommended that affected property owners be offered a repayment option for the local improvement charges at the Bank of Canada prime rate plus 1.5 per cent for a period of up to 20 years, with repayment beginning once construction costs are finalized.

Ward 2 Coun. Kris Wilkinson said he supports including the additional 23 homes, noting the owners would have access to the municipal water system once the project is complete.

"I should be very clear; no decision has been made to include those additional 23 at this time," he said. "However, I personally am of the opinion that they should be. I think it's very equitable. I think it adds value to people's houses."

Wilkinson added that if the homes had been constructed as part of a new subdivision, the cost of the water infrastructure would likely have been incorporated into the original purchase price.

Resident Peter Wendland, whose property would be directly affected, submitted correspondence to council expressing both support for the proposal and concerns about elements of the project design.

Wendland said the proposed sidewalk alignment is not located beneath the streetlights, creating concerns for nighttime visibility and placing an unfair burden on winter maintenance. He also said the design would have a significant impact on mature trees and require unnecessary grading work when a less costly alternative may be available.

Despite those concerns, Wendland said he supports including the additional 23 homes in the local improvement charges.

"It’s not easy to advocate for adding an unexpected expense to potentially unsuspecting homeowners, such as our direct neighbours, who are original owners and have maintained a well for over 50 years,” he said.

Wendland asked council to consider deferring the local improvement charges for the additional 23 properties until they choose to connect to the municipal water system. He also asked council to reconsider the sidewalk design to improve pedestrian safety and winter maintenance.

Earlier during the meeting, council also awarded the project's engineering and construction contracts. Stratford-based GRIT Engineering Inc. will provide geotechnical engineering services for $67,649.75, while T. Musselman Excavating Limited of Petersburg was awarded the $4.47-million contract to complete the water system replacement. Township staff have also been authorized to sign the agreements, allowing the project to proceed.

No decision has been made at this time about the additional 23 homes. Wilkinson said council is continuing discussions on the proposal and encouraged affected residents to share any questions or concerns as the process moves forward.

Anyone wishing to do so can contact Wilkinson directly at kris.wilkinson@wilmot.ca or 519-807-4173.