Quinte West Council has rejected a staff recommendation to lessen wastewater base charges paid by residents of the Prince Edward
Estates housing development off County Road 64 in Carrying Place.
In 2017 the developer and city agreed that sewage treatment would be built and paid for by the developer and paid for
by the homeowners. They were originally charged a wastewater sewer charge of $136 a month.
In 2020 the city took the plant over and residents have been paying a wastewater base charge of $91 a month, much
higher than the $41 a month paid by others using city services.
On Wednesday, staff recommended dropping the Prince Edward Estates base rate to $41 a month, arguing it would simplify the
billing process.
However, it’s estimated the drop in the base charge would mean users city-wide would be picking up the tab for $200,000
a year to cover the revenues lost in the Prince Edward Estates system.
Council unanimously voted the recommendation down, agreeing with four residents who told council it wasn’t fair to transfer
the revenue losses from one small development to the rest of the city’s taxpayers.
As more homes are built and hooked into the sewage plant the rates will be considered again.
Prince Edward Estates currently has 175 homes hooked into the wastewater system and there’s room for about 300 homes
in total. The homes are valued at well over $1 million.
