CITY OF CORNWALL
During its December 4, 2023, meeting, Cornwall City Council adopted the 2024 Water and Wastewater budget and with it, a combined budgetary increase of 11.66% – or $2,405,747 – increase to the 2023 Water and Wastewater budget.
The average household increase in Cornwall, for the highest user of water, will be $107.75, or about 25 cents a day.
Despite the increase, the City of Cornwall’s cost for water and wastewater – $864 -remains significantly lower than the Ontario average of $1,302.
For comparison, Thunder Bay and Belleville, two cities that are about the size of Cornwall, currently have average water and wastewater costs of $1,354 and $1,405 respectively.
“It’s a necessity for us as a municipality to safeguard our vital infrastructure,” said Michael Fawthrop, General Manager of Infrastructure and Municipal Works for the City of Cornwall. “The investments approved are aligned with local needs, the Long-Term Financial Plans and the Asset Management Strategies which all have similar objectives of protecting our vital infrastructure and continuing to provide our residents with the exceptional drinking water and sewer services they have come to expect in the City of Cornwall.”
The Water and Wastewater budget encompasses a large array of services – from the water purification plant and wastewater treatment plant, all the way to sanitary sewers and watermains.
The City of Cornwall operates extensive networks for wastewater, storm systems and potable water. This includes 214 kilometres of sanitary sewers, 6 wastewater pumping stations, 53km of combined sewers, 157 kilometres of storm sewers and 274 kilometres of watermains.
Operating costs for the 2024 Water and Wastewater budget are set at $23 million, whereas capital investments for those vital services are $14.5 million.
Capital projects found in the 2024 Water and Wastewater budget include the rehabilitation and growth of watermains and sewer separation across the city, the rehabilitation of underground infrastructure on Victoria Avenue and on a portion of Adolphus Street and the installation of storm sewers on Riverdale Avenue, Bedford Street, Bergin Avenue, Lauber Avenue, Carleton Street and Guy Street.
Also included in the budget is a contribution of $500,000 to reserves for a Secondary Raw-Water Intake. The project is scheduled to take 10 years to complete. This important investment will help advance the City of Cornwall’s funding request to senior levels of government to ensure long term drinking water source for City of Cornwall’s water purification plant.
Through this year’s investment the city advances towards the implementation of the water meters to advance our lower water consumption objectives, reducing the impact and cost on our infrastructure; and aligning billing with actual property water use.
The 2024 Water and Wastewater budget can be viewed by clicking here.
