Regional Councillor Report

Submitted by: Colleen Jordan, Regional Councillor Wards 3 & 4

Date: Jan. 24, 2010

Works – Jan. 12, 2011

Works – Dec. 15, 2010

Incinerator

A delegation was received by the Committee that raised concerns about the incinerator project’s communications to the public, representation on the stakeholder advisory committee and the access by the public to the meetings of this committee. Responses received from the Commissioner of Works indicated that staff representatives from the local municipalities were invited to sit on the committee. The Ministry of the Environment, in their conditions of approval of the Environmental Assessment, mandated this Committee and its representation includes three representatives from environmental organizations in Durham. Public concerns related to the effectiveness of this Committee were also brought forth by the delegation as meetings are to be held during the day and closed to the public.

Commissioner Curtis in his responses advised that the Site Liaison Committee, a condition of the HOST agreement with Clarington, will be the most effective avenue for the public’s concerns to be brought forward to Regional Council. Clarington and the Region will be in discussions to determine the detailed terms of reference etc of the Site Liaison Committee. Works Committee was advised that a number of these matters will be discussed in a February Works report.

Polybutelene

The Region estimates that about 25,000 polybutelene water service connections were installed between 1978 to 1986 by the development industry due to that fact they were cheaper and easier to install. In 1997, leakage of these plastic installations was first noticed and increased from less than 50 per year to over 800 by 2007. Unfortunately, there is no recourse to the developer or manufacturer as the company has since gone bankrupt. The Region is responsible for responding to these breaks which is more costly than replacing with copper piping. It is estimated that emergency repairs for a break can cost about double the replacement cost. The Region has initiated a program of replacing these services with copper piping on a prioritized street by street basis. The Infrastructure Stimulas Funding was allocated to develop a $10 million program to address critical areas that were prioritized by the number of breaks. 5156 services have been remediated to date, which leaves a significant number yet to be replaced. Whenever possible, dependent on site specific conditions and available funding, these works are done in conjunction with local road programs. The schedule for works to service approximately 280 in Ajax, is as follows; Carnelly Crescent is expected to be completed within the next week, then Stockbridge Crescent will begin (expected to take about 2 to 3 weeks) and then Chatfield Drive to begin mid February for completion around the end of March. Permanent restoration is expected to be complete by the end of June as weather permits.

2011Sanitary Sewerage and Water Supply Budgets

On Dec. 22^nd Regional Council approved a combined water and sewage rate increase of 4.5% (water 2.4% and sewer 6.4%). The total estimated value of assets for the Regional water and sanitary systems amounts to about $6.3 billion. The capital budgets for 2011 includes $1.3 million (bringing the total project cost to $2.2 million) for system upgrades in Ajax to address the flooding issues on Lawrie Road. The construction is expected to begin sometime in May. The Environmental Assessment for the outfall for the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Plant, which is cost shared with York Region, has been allocated $4 million in the 2011 budget. Costs of $1.5 million allocated in previous budgets have been utilized for scientific studies which are expected to be completed this spring.

Pressures on future sewer and water budgets will be the needed investment in aging infrastructure, new regulatory requirements such as phosphorous reductions, source water protection and the cost of replacing poly water service connections as addressed earlier in this report.