Mapleton council has approved a refund of payments to a property owner here for waste and wastewater charges totaling almost $5,800 and dating back to 2007 after learning the charges were levied against a building not hooked up to municipal water or sewers.
The situation came to light when Corix Water Services was installing a water meter at 20 McGivern Street, Moorefield.
The property is owned by Bob Ralston, who attended a council meeting on Jan. 28 to discuss the issue. He advised township staff he has no services inside a garage on his property and that the “E-1” pump at the property has not been connected for some time.
“What in the heck am I paying this money for?” Ralston asked.
At the March 4 meeting, CAO Patty Sinnamon reported township staff have completed further investigation and determined that, in fact, there is no water or wastewater servicing inside the building.
“Township staff did have an opportunity to speak with the former public works superintendent who confirmed that the township did in fact have the E-1 pump disconnected from the hydro service approximately six to eight months after it was installed,” the report states.
Sinnamon explained that when water and wastewater services were installed in Moorefield in 2005, the property owner paid the full frontage charge and E-1 pump costs. Vacant properties were only required to pay the frontage charge.
An E-1 pump was installed at that time. In 2007 the E-1 pump was replaced, as the result of water backflow into the property owner’s residential basement, which is adjacent to the garage.
“I can confirm that council approved a payment in the amount of $4,558 to compensate Mr. Ralston for damage and loss of furniture in his basement,” Sinnamon stated, adding public works staff confirmed that the E-1 pump was replaced in 2007 for the garage property.
However, she said, there are no records to indicate the pump was subsequently disconnected.
Council approved a recommendation to pay $5,786 in sewer and water charges dating back to 2007 to Ralston. Council also approved a recommendation that the E-1 pump be removed from the property and placed back in the township’s inventory.
“Should the property owner decide to service the building with water and wastewater servicing at a later date, the cost to do so would be at his expense, including any hook-up fees,” the report states.
