According to Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) data, there are approximately 664 existing properties within Belleville’s Urban Service Area on private or shared wells and 569 properties on private septic systems.
New municipal water and wastewater infrastructure is being extended into previously unserved locations within the Urban Service Area.
The City has the option under By-Law 2019-183 to issue a Notice to the Owner of each of these properties, requiring them to connect to the water and sewer system and to pay the Connection Charges that help recover the capital cost of installing water and/or sanitary sewer works in the area. City-wide connection charges were established for residential and non-residential properties (subject to annual indexing). As part of this process, extensive review of the by-law through the City’s Solicitors occurred to ensure that it was in alignment with legislation.
Connection charges
Under the Connection Charge By-Law 2019-183, the 2024 Connection Charges for property owners to pay before connecting to municipal services are:
- Service Residential (per Single Detached Unit)
- Water $5,416.89
- Wastewater $6,675.21
- Total $12,092.10
- Non-Residential (per ft2 of Gross Floor Area)
- Water $1.48
- Wastewater $0.99
- Total $2.47
Municipal sewage services and municipal water services are the preferred form of servicing for lands within the urban boundary per Ontario’s Provincial Policy Statement and City of Belleville’s Official Plan.
City of Belleville sits on heavily fractured limestone which makes private wells utilizing the bedrock aquifer prone to low water levels during drought periods and highly susceptible to contamination. A failed private septic system can contaminate local water resources including drinking water sources and the water quality of watercourses.
Municipal drinking water systems operate under the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure access to safe, high quality, reliable drinking water. Municipal wastewater systems must ensure proper collection, treatment and disposal of sewage wastewater to protect the natural environment and public health.
Staff recommended deferring the decision
City staff recommended deferring this motion. They suggested reviewing the By-law as part of the upcoming “Development Charge Update Background Study” to fully understand the financial impact before making connections voluntary.
Impacts
Financial
The City counts on connection charges to recover the capital costs of installing the pipes. If homeowners do not connect, these costs may not be fully recovered from the specific beneficiaries, potentially shifting the burden to the general tax levy or water rates.
Operational
Municipal pipes are designed for specific flow rates. If many homes act on this waiver and do not connect, the “low flows” can lead to stagnant water (loss of disinfectant) and sewage blockages.
New municipal water mains and sanitary sewers are sized to permit connection of all properties to be serviced by the infrastructure. If properties do not connect, flows within the pipes remain lower than design flows for a prolonged period. In watermains, low flows and stagnation can lead to inadequate levels of disinfectant. In sanitary sewers, low flows and stagnation can lead to pipe blockages and odour issues. Watermains and sanitary sewers with low flows may require increased monitoring and frequent flushing to ensure the municipal infrastructure is functioning properly.
Health and safety
The City prefers municipal services because Belleville sits on “heavily fractured limestone,” making private wells susceptible to contamination and drought. Continued use of private septic systems carries a risk of contaminating local water resources.
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