Riverside Heights residents could wade into water expansion plans

SOUTH DUNDAS – As local municipalities work to facilitate the Province’s $82 million investment in St. Lawrence Parks Commission infrastructure, South Dundas officials are making it clear that progress cannot come at the expense of current residents.

With the project design brief now in hand, South Dundas CAO Ben deHaan recently updated council on the planned water and wastewater expansion.

While the SLPC has prioritized the South Stormont portion of the project for a 2026 construction start, South Dundas staff are reviewing the documents to ensure the municipality’s interests here are protected.

The core challenge lies in the SLPC’s plan for South Dundas to own and maintain all new infrastructure installed within the public right-of-way.

“We are approaching this as a very willing partner, but we also recognize that we don’t want this infrastructure to be installed to the detriment of the ratepayers who already exist on our system,” deHaan told council at their January 21 meeting. He noted that the SLPC has been receptive to these concerns, reassuring the municipality that their intent is to be a good partner rather than a financial burden.

To ensure this partnership remains equitable, South Dundas will hire a third-party consultant to conduct a comprehensive rate study. This study will recommend the specific fees the SLPC should pay to cover the costs of operating the new systems.

To further dilute the financial impact, officials are exploring the addition of new users to the system, including local industrial parks, commercial properties along County Road 2, and new developments within SLPC lands.

A significant part of this expansion involves the residents of Riverside Heights. Council has agreed that now is the time to determine if local property owners are interested in connecting to the new municipal water and wastewater lines. To facilitate this conversation, the Municipality plans to host a future open house at the Riverside Heights community centre. “This would not be a formal commitment, rather and opportunity to gauge interest,” said deHaan. That meeting date has not yet been scheduled.