Kawartha Lakes considers fee exemption to help reduce sewage bypasses

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: A new proposal, brought forward by Councillor Mike Perry, at the most recent council meeting, could lead to significant environmental improvements for Fenelon Falls and potentially the wider municipality.

Council received and moved Councillor Perry’s memorandum, titled Exemption to Building By-Law Fees for Building Permits, to Remove Storm Water Connections from the Municipal Sanitary Sewer System. The proposal recommends eliminating the $266 building permit fee, for plumbing work, specifically related to disconnecting storm water from the sanitary sewer system. The goal is to encourage more homeowners to complete this type of work which, in turn, could reduce overflows and bypasses at the Fenelon Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant, during storms or periods of high water.

“The goal is simple, we want to reduce the volume of water, unnecessarily entering our wastewater treatment system, during storms,” said Councillor Perry. “This not only helps protect the Fenelon River but also supports our infrastructure and keeps our environment safer.”

The issue has grown in urgency, due to repeated instances of system bypasses, during heavy rainfall, when the treatment plant in Fenelon Falls is overwhelmed, by the volume of water flowing into the sanitary sewer. “Several times, over the past years, the amount of water has resulted in system bypasses, to ensure the local treatment plant does not overflow,” the memorandum noted. “When doing so, partially-treated and sometimes untreated sewage has entered the Fenelon River.”

City staff, in the Engineering Division, have confirmed, some properties still have their rainwater drainage systems connected to the sanitary sewer which adds significantly to the system’s load, during storms. This includes connections from eaves troughs and basement foundation drains. Disconnecting these systems typically requires hiring a plumber and obtaining a building permit.

“This is one of those win-win situations,” said Councillor Perry. “We’re giving residents a break on fees, to do work which directly benefits the entire community. Fewer bypasses mean cleaner water and a more efficient wastewater system.”

The proposed exemption, while aimed initially at Fenelon Falls, could be expanded to apply city-wide. It was developed with input from the Building and Septic Division, as well as the Engineering and Corporate Assets departments. The Building and Septic Division, which operates on a cost-recovery model, indicated, while the financial impact of lost permit revenue is difficult to predict, it would likely be small enough to absorb within the annual budget.

Council has directed the Chief Building Official to prepare an amendment to the fee schedule, under a local By-Law, for further consideration at the next regular council meeting.

“This is a practical, low-cost way to support residents, while improving our infrastructure resilience and protecting our water,” said Councillor Perry.