Belleville’s water system is expanding, but some residents may not have to connect once it reaches them.
During Monday’s council meeting, councillors will hear a motion from Councillor Paul Carr, to amend city by-laws to offer existing residents the option to connect to municipal water instead of mandating it once the system reaches their property.
The proposal comes amid expansions to the city’s water system to support new subdivisions and housing. To reach the development area, new watermains are being laid past existing homes, which would normally be obligated to connect to the system.
Councillor Carr said that the intent of the original by-law was to pay for the cost of expanding the system by having residents connect to and use the new infrastructure, however, the new pipes are being paid for through development and connection fees at the new development.
“The pipe is going by because of the development. And so, if it wasn’t for the development, there would be no pipe going by,” said Councillor Carr. “People should have the option to hook up, not be forced to take something when it’s going by a pre-existing home that was there again long before the subdivision was a concept.”
Councillor Carr says moving from a well and septic system to municipal water can be expensive as the existing systems will have to be decommissioned and pipes for the house may have to be reworked to accommodate the new municipal water connection. A connection fee is also charged by the city, to cover its costs in connecting to the property.
Residents will have the option to connect at a later time if they decide to not connect when the main is first put in.
