$75 million upgrades needed
Water, wastewater systems will require spending to handle growth over next 25 years
The water and wastewater systems in Trent Hills can handle the current demand, but about $75 million will need to be spent over the next 25 years to expand them so they can accommodate expected growth, a new report says.
The 186-page report by consulting firm Civica Infrastructure Inc. recommends eight wastewater improvement projects with an estimated cost of $35 million and 49 water projects with an estimated cost of $39 million.
“The capacity in all the systems is good,” Planning Director Jim Peters said during Tuesday’s council meeting. “Our water plants are well below capacity.”
Fears were raised at a recent meeting that a proposed Warkworth development would exceed the system’s capacity in the community, said Councillor Rick English. Another Warkworth subdivision was reduced from 40 to nine units to avoid the cost of upgrading a pumping station.
“We feel we are in good shape, whether we are considering development in Warkworth, Hastings, or Campbellford,” Peters said. “But we certainly have a lot of draft-approved development in Hastings, that’s why we are focused there first.”
Council agreed to have staff work with consultants Engage Engineering to determine what work needs to be done first in Hastings to upgrade the wastewater system, since that is the top priority.
Deputy Mayor Mike Metcalf noted that the report recommends $48 million in spending just on new pumping stations for the wastewater system.
The wastewater systems are fine except in extremely wet conditions, primarily the spring, when groundwater leaks into the system and the flow exceeds capacity, Peters said.
A priority is to examine the current pipes to find ways to reduce the amount of infiltration and reduce the stress on the wastewater treatment plant.
Councillor Dennis Savery asked whether developers help pay for system-wide improvements that are needed to accommodate growth.
Peters explained that developers pay to install water and wastewater systems to serve any new homes and in addition they pay a system-connection fee per unit that is used to expand and improve the existing systems so that the cost doesn’t fall on current taxpayers.
The service capacity review was requested in April 2023 but was delayed when senior staff at Trent Hills resigned and then the consultant also changed jobs.
“Through this review and in conjunction with the review of pending development proposals, it was concluded that each urban area faces particular challenges,” said a report to council. “The capacity of the water system does not appear to be an issue in any of the urban areas. Depending on the development, the extension of municipal water may create a challenge in maintaining the required level of domestic and fire flows.
“The relationship between potential new development and wastewater flows is most critical in Hastings,” the report said. “There are a number of developments approved for the community and there are portions of the year when the capacity of the plant is exceeded.”
Arena sale discussed
It seems that selling an old arena site is not as easy as you might think.
I wrote two weeks ago that the municipality is working on the site of the former Hastings arena to get it ready for its sale to finally close after 18 months. The sale was announced in November 2024 with a price of $650,000.
On Tuesday, council went into private session to discuss “the appraised value of the former Campbellford arena.”
You might wonder why they are discussing an appraised value when it was announced last July that the arena was being sold to a numbered company for $275,000. Usually, you get an appraisal before a sale.
I didn’t bother asking for an explanation, since I know from past experience that the answer would be: ‘That’s private.’
You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.