𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.

A common question is “Why are our water and sewer rates so high?”
Some candidates want to investigate why our rates are high and see what they can do about. Fair enough. Grab a coffee and let’s look at it together.
Water and sewer are expensive infrastructure. I pay the same rates as everyone else, so I feel the same sting when I pay.

First, let’s compare.

Out of the 8 Bruce county municipalities we have the third lowest rate and the second lowest rate for consumption. We are comparable to Owen Sound and competitive with many rural municipalities.
But is still a lot to pay.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀. This term of council the provincial government asked municipalities to make 10 year asset management plans. It is good governance; it prevents underfunding of critical infrastructure. It also generated a lot of expenses and pressured tax rates. This is what council was required to do.
𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘖. 𝘙𝘦𝘨. 588/17, 𝘖𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴:
• 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵: Strategic Asset Management Policy in place (reviewed and updated at least every five years). [1, 2]
• 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮: AMP for 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 assets (roads, bridges, culverts, water, wastewater, and stormwater) with current service levels. [1, 2]
• 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰: AMP expanded to cover 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀. [1]
• 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: AMP must include 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲, lifecycle activities needed to meet them, and a comprehensive financial strategy. [1, 2]

To comply, we commissioned 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 that maps an asset management plan for water and wastewater systems. Our facilities were given an estimated lifetime that considers maintenance, repairs, and growth, way beyond 10 years. Basically, we must have a lifetime maintenance plan for our critical infrastructure, and a plan to have a piggy bank for a down payment for new facilities when needed.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 $𝟰𝟳,𝟱𝟯𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀. One of the biggest needs is a new water tower which will cost $10 million. We are currently adding capacity to the Southampton wastewater plant which cost $24 million. We actively seek grants from the provincial government, and we received $18 million from the province, thanks to the hard work of staff.

We also have a ten-year asset management plan gives us the path forward and stable funding to maintain the equipment and infrastructure that we have. This includes maintaining and reconstructing roads, new sidewalks, etc. It also prepares for funding a new firehall, and future ice pad.

I have personally toured our water treatment plant and both wastewater treatment plants. I read and understand the reports we receive. I have confidence in the asset manage plan for potable and wastewater for Saugeen Shores.

It is easy to think you can cut water and wastewater rates, but the reality is the Wastewater Treatment Plant updates and the new water tower we need are not optional. As well, regulations, keeping up with growth, and the safety of our systems, leave little room for discounting rates.

Underfunding delays and transfers debt. It also creates a risk. A municipal water system near here had an E. coli outbreak. Another ran out of room for growth. We need to avoid those missteps at all costs.

Read the summary and or the full report. The executive summary gives the financial implications which I have summarized below.

1. Water and Wastewater Masterplan Summary
https://pub-saugeenshores.escribemeetings.com/filestream...
2. Water and Wastewater Full report (contains executive summary)
24079-2025-10-31-Master Plan Report https://hdp-ca-prod-app-saug-engage-files.s3.ca-central-1...

𝗨𝗽𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻:

𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠 𝗨𝗣𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦
A new elevated tank water tower is required, 10 mil
Summerside needs 2 extensions, 870,000
Bruce RD 17 watermain extension 1.4 mil
Side road 13/14 watermain extension 1.4 mil

𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗘𝗟𝗚𝗜𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦
Flow testing, monitoring and investigation 165,000
Highland Sewer reversal 850,000
SPS 8 force main extension 1.6 mil
Harbour Street upgrades 500,000

𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗢𝗡 𝗪𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦
Capacity upgrades 26 mil
Flow monitoring & investigations, 5 x 150,000 750,000
Force main one partial replacement 4 mil

𝗧𝗢𝗧𝗔𝗟 PREDICTED 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗦 $47,535,000
𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 $18,000,000
𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗘𝗦 $6,200,000
𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 $23,335,000

It is super easy for candidates to promise to investigate our rates to lower costs. Managing a municipality grounds you in reality. I can’t lower water costs, but what I can do is promise an honest, structured plan to continue supplying the essential services our community needs for today and tomorrow. 

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-Bud