Revenues collected through sewer user fees and grants are retained within the Sewer Fund. As is with the Water Fund, none of the property tax collection is used for Sewer related expenditures.
In December of 2017, Council adopted a bylaw that established the new sewer user fee for a single family dwelling, increasing the fees by 5 per cent, or $1.29 per month over the 2017 fee.
2018 Sewer user fees will total $81.33 per quarter, or $27.11 per month.
The average annual life cycle investment for Sewer Fund infrastructure renewal is $1,308,450.
Adjustments to sewer user fees fund inflationary increases to operating costs and increased contributions to capital reserves to allow for sewer infrastructure renewal.
The 2018-2022 Financial Plan proposes total capital investment in Sewer Fund projects of $39.8 million.
Sewer capital projects totalling $2.98 million are planned for 2018 including the planning and design of the new Waste Water Treatment Facility, main replacement on the 200 block of Norton Avenue, and a vactor and jet rodding truck (split with Water Fund).
Also included is a number of reserve funded non-capital projects. In 2018, $71,600 is budgeted for non-capital projects in the Sewer Fund with the majority of them relating to repair and maintenance of the Waste Water Treatment Plant.
The new Waste Water Treatment Facility planning and design project budgeted for completion in 2018 is a preliminary step leading to the construction of the facility which is currently planned for 2020.
The estimated cost of the new WWTF is $34 million which is currently budgeted to be funded through both grant funds (83 per cent) that are not yet confirmed, and borrowing (17 per cent).
To fund the debt payments associated with the WWTF borrowing and the five year sewer operating and capital plans as proposed, five per cent increases to Sewer User Fees are anticipated in years 2019-2022.
