A large group of Central Elgin residents are making it known that they not only oppose adopting the proposed 2021 Water and Wastewater Budget, but rather reject it.
On Tuesday, May 25th, the Municipality intends to pass a by-law to adopt the 2021 Water & Wastewater Budget, however the residents of Central Elgin are pleading with council to make a change as many of them can no longer afford the rising water bills.
Carol Lucia, who has lived in Port Stanley for over 3 years, says over 800 members of the community have come together to form the Accountability For Central Elgin -Water Facebook group.
Lucia says the Municipality has had to borrowed $47,754,524.42 from Infrastructure Ontario in order to perform necessary infrastructure upgrades to municipal water and wastewater, and the debt servicing is being passed along to them.
It works out to about $700 a year, or $60 a month for just servicing debt, – no water, nor operating cost she says.
In addition, residents aren’t happy about the little to no notice about the monthly billing switch says Lucia.
For those that live outside the area, Lucia puts it into perspective.
She adds that bills will only continue to go up.
Lucia and the other members of the Accountability For Central Elgin -Water Facebook page are encouraging all concerned residents to join the group.
Central Elgin Council had been accepting comments and concerns from residents up until Wednesday of this week.
The decision is expected to be announced during Central Elgin Councils regular meeting on Tuesday, May 25 at 7:30 p.m. via ZOOM.
