Part 1: Council Reviews Long-Term Water System Options and Plans Public Engagement on Rates - 09/17/2025
- PECConnect
- Sep 17, 2025
- 4 min read
Regional Water Supply Master Servicing Plan for Small Systems
The special meeting was chaired by Councillor Phil St-Jean and focused heavily on the Regional Water Supply Master Servicing Plan, with a specific lens on Prince Edward County’s smaller drinking water systems. Engineering staff Garrett Osborne and Dave McPherson led the presentation, supported by Director Don Kaza.
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Staff explained that the County currently operates six separate drinking water systems, four of which are considered small systems. These include Ameliasburgh, Consecon and Carrying Place, Pete’s Point, and Rossmoor Fenwood. The master plan is intended to guide long-term, high-level infrastructure planning while balancing cost, risk, and regulatory responsibility under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
For Ameliasburgh, staff confirmed that the system has more than enough treatment capacity for current and projected demand, serving a population of roughly 260 people. Key constraints include low water levels in Roblin Lake during droughts, aging brittle process piping inside the treatment plant, and the lack of on-site water storage, which means there is no fire flow capability. Multiple options were reviewed, including expansion, interconnection to other systems, and decommissioning. All interconnection options were ruled out due to cost, distance, and water quality concerns. The study’s preferred recommendation was to maintain the existing system, with future replacement of internal process piping as required.
The Consecon and Carrying Place system was described as being in relatively good condition, with adequate capacity and stable operation. It relies on bulk treated water purchased from Quinte West, with the supply agreement due for renegotiation in 2027. Interconnections to other systems were explored but rejected due to distance and cost. The preferred option was again do nothing, meaning continued operation with repairs funded as needed.
The most complex discussion centered on Pete’s Point, a very small system serving just over 20 homes. While the treatment plant has sufficient capacity, operational costs are extremely high relative to the small customer base. The distribution system was built with non-standard pipe materials, adding long-term risk.
Staff examined options including maintaining the system, connecting to Rossmoor, and decentralizing by installing private wells and decommissioning the municipal system.
The study’s preferred recommendation was decentralization, but staff were clear that this path carries significant risk. It would require approximately 400 thousand dollars in upfront hydrogeological and supporting studies, followed by Ministry of the Environment approval, which staff acknowledged is highly uncertain. Ministry feedback to date suggests decentralization approvals are rare and the bar is extremely high.
For Rossmoor Fenwood, staff confirmed there is ample capacity within the existing bulk water allocation from the City of Belleville, and future growth can be accommodated under the current agreement. Renegotiation of rates is expected in 2032. All alternative options were ruled out due to cost and feasibility, with the preferred recommendation again being do nothing.
Staff also confirmed that centralized servicing options for all northern systems were explored conceptually, including a new treatment plant or major trunk mains, but these were dismissed due to costs exceeding 50 million dollars. The committee ultimately voted to receive the master plan discussion for information, with no immediate direction to pursue capital spending.
Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy EV8
The committee then reviewed proposed amendments to the Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy, known as EV800. Dave McPherson explained that the policy is undergoing its scheduled corporate review and had already been introduced to Council in red-line form.
Council directed the policy to this committee for comment during the public review period. Staff confirmed they are reviewing comparable policies from other municipalities and that a legal review is underway. The goal is to return a refined version to Council in Q4 2025, with the intention of also bringing it back to this committee in November for final comment.
Councillor St-Jean emphasized the urgency of resolving EV800, noting that residents and developers alike are waiting for clarity on capacity allocation, particularly in Wellington. Staff confirmed they are targeting a return to Council in November, subject to legal review timelines. The committee voted to receive the EV800 discussion.
Communications and Public Engagement Planning
Mark Kurz provided a detailed verbal update on the communications and engagement strategy planned to support upcoming water and wastewater rate decisions. The focus is on education first, followed by structured public consultation.
Staff outlined objectives including explaining how water systems are managed and regulated, what drives rates, and how full life-cycle funding works. The proposed approach recognizes varying levels of public understanding and access to online tools.
Planned tactics include plain-language explainers, infographics, bill inserts, physical displays in community spaces, surveys with multiple access options, and in-person engagement such as op-ups and plant tours. Media briefings and outreach to community groups were also discussed.
Committee members stressed the importance of explaining provincial legislative constraints, clarifying that water rates do not fund growth, and using comparative municipal data to ground discussions in facts rather than perceptions. Staff confirmed they will explore incorporating benchmarking data from AMO and other sources.
The committee voted to receive the communications update, with staff continuing to refine the plan for early 2026 rollout.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:53:007. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
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