It’s the first step in a process to increase sewage capacity and allow for new development in the community.
Wellington North and its consulting firm XCG Consultants Ltd., revealed options for upgrades to the village’s sewage plant, which is at capacity, blocking new development in Arthur.
The options were presented at a public meeting at the community centre on June 10.
Among the options being explored were plans to increase sewage storage at the plant.
Councillor Andy Lennox, chair of the township finance committee, said cost estimates for upgrades preferred by council range from about $12 to $18 million.
“I prefer doubling the main infrastructure in the plant,” Lennox said after the public meeting. “We won’t have a good cost until we get a design.”
“We can’t have any new development at all right now,” he said of the current state of the aging plant and its impact on residential construction in Arthur.
Cost is also a problem, Lennox noted. He said federal and provincial grants are not currently available to help fund the work.
“That source of funding is not in existence,” he said.
Once council approves its preferred design, the township will have to look at ways to fund the work.
“It forces the issue of trying to get the financing in place,” Lennox said. “It’s one of the biggest issues we face in the near term.”
He said he hopes a decision can be made within a year to allow a final plan to move ahead.
