The deadline to meet Langford’s mandatory sewer connection bylaw is fast approaching.
Residents with properties adjacent to an existing sewer main have until New Year’s Eve to connect to it.
In 2008, the City of Langford amended its sewage bylaw, making it mandatory for residents to connect to a new or existing sewer line by the end of 2019. The cost of connection is between $15,000 and $20,000.
In March, the City sent out letters to property owners who hadn’t connected to the municipal sewer system yet.
“The connection of all adjacent properties is necessary to ensure the long-term viability of this sewer infrastructure,” the letter read.
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The letter also noted 95 per cent of adjacent properties have already connected to the system.
Corix/West Shore Environmental Services (WSES) operates and maintains the City’s sewer system. Before connecting to it, property owners must complete a sewer application at WSES and pay fees, after which WSES will issue a sewer authorization form.
Property owners must then choose a qualified contractor to connect the property to a sewer service, obtain a plumbing permit from the City and have the sewer connection inspected by the City of Langford after the contractor completes it.
“All on-site works are to be constructed to the BC Plumbing Code and any applicable bylaws or regulations,” a brochure from the City of Langford stated.
The City has various financial assistance options to help property owners pay for the cost to connect to the sewer system.
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One option is to finance through WSES and another is to finance through TD Canada Trust. Households with an income between $38,921 and $67,842 and who have received a rejection letter from TD Canada Trust can apply directly to the City for financial assistance. Over a 10 year period, the City will then collect the fees from the property owner plus interest at a prime plus two per cent rate.
Those with a household income of less than $38,921 are eligible to apply for a five-year exemption of payment of all connection fees and physical connection to the sewer system. If, after the five years, the household income is still below the low-income threshold, the property owner will have to apply for financing.
More details about sewer connection and financial assistance can be found here.
