What is the local improvement fee for?
The local improvement fee covers the cost of building the public infrastructure - that is, the lift stations, forcemain and other conveyance equipment. Each household in the service area will pay an equal portion of the total cost, which works out to $7,264.37 per parcel. Unless you've already prepaid this fee, a payment of $505.37 was added to your annual property tax bill in 2021.
Do I have to pay the local improvement fee if I don't plan to hook to the system for awhile?
Yes. The local improvement fee is due for all properties at the same time, regardless of when the owner plans to hook up to the system. Many residents have chosen to pay this fee with their property tax bill over a 20-year period.
Can I still pay the local improvement fee in one lump sum?
No, the deadline to prepay in one lump sum has passed. For those who didn't prepay, the RM will automatically set up 20-year time payments with annual property tax bills. An additional charge of $505.37 was added to your tax bill starting in 2021.
What happens if I finance the local improvement fee on my property taxes, but sell the property before the 20-year term is up?
The new owner would be responsible for the remaining annual payments. You would need to inform the buyer of this obligation while negotiating the sale.
Why is the fee lower than expected?
A combination of low interest rates, provincial assistance and other efficiencies meant the project was $89,000 under budget when completed. Also, there are now 21 more houses in the service area than expected, which allows costs to be spread out over more properties.
What about the fee for newly subdivided lots not included in the original LID?
As per By-Law No. 4361, a one-time payment to the RM of St. Andrews in the amount of $7,500.00 as of 2023, and subject to changes, is required when obtaining a service application permit. This fee is charged for connection to the South St. Andrews Wastewater Utility for newly created lots or lots not previously included in the Local Improvement District and any new units created.
CITY OF WINNIPEG CONNECTION FEE
What is the City of Winnipeg connection fee for?
The City of Winnipeg charges this one-time buy-in or connection fee to all municipalities using the City wastewater infrastructure. This fee buys the right to use some of the City's sewage treatment capacity.
When will I need to pay the City of Winnipeg connection fee? How do I pay it?
You must pay the connection fee when you're ready to hook up to the system. You will pay the fee to the R.M. of St. Andrews, which will then forward the funds to the City.
Several payment options are available. You can pay in person, online through your bank or you can give your cheque to the person who does your pre-hook-up inspection. Please write the roll number of your property on your cheque, or reference it with your online payment.
What are my payment options for paying my utility bill?
Check out our Utility Payment Options & Methods page for all payment options available for paying your utility bill.
What happened to the Special Service Levy on unconnected properties?
Council had planned to introduce a Special Service Levy on unconnected properties as a way of keeping utility rates reasonable during early years of operation. Council made that decision in February 2021 using the best information available at the time. However, several months later, when more actual numbers (versus estimates) could be used in financial calculations, it became clear that the Special Service Levy would not be needed. Therefore, Council decided in June 2021 to set aside the plan for the levy.
Why didn't the RM know this before?
Early cost-revenue estimates for the system were necessarily based on many assumptions about factors beyond the RM's control. For example, what would interest rates be in the future? When would households migrate over to the new system and begin paying usage fees? Would residents want to pay their Local Improvement fee right away, or over a 20-year period with their property taxes? These factors and more have a significant impact on the bottom line for this project, and were impossible to forecast with certainty.
As a large project like this nears completion, future costs and revenues can be calculated using more actual numbers instead of "best guesses". By May, it became clear that this utility could almost break even without the aid of the Special Service Levy and without having to charge high rates, even during the early years of operation. The difference was due to actual numbers that couldn't be factored in earlier because they weren't yet available.
Which financial factor made the difference?
The big one was how residents chose to pay the Local Improvement fee, which is $7,264 for each property in the service area. Here's why this will make such a difference to actual annual operating revenues, versus previous estimates:
- In earlier estimates, it was assumed that about 40% of households would choose to pay the fee in one lump sum, and that 60% would choose to pay the fee over a period of 20 years with their property taxes.
- In reality, only about 18% of households have chosen to pay the fee in one lump sum. That means 82% of households will make an annual payment of $505.37. These payments are considered utility revenue under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and will close the gap between utility revenues and expenses.
This difference in actual-versus-estimated revenue flow wasn't known until after the deadline for paying the Local Improvement fee in one lump sum, which was April 28, 2021. After finances were recalculated with the latest numbers, Council decided the Special Service Levy would not be needed.
Getting your property ready
How can I find out more about how to prepare my property for connection?
The first step is to contact a qualified contractor to determine what work will be required on your property. Please see the
Getting Your Property Ready page for a list of approved companies. You'll also find a fact sheet on technical requirements.
What steps will I take when I'm ready to hook up?
- Complete any work required on your property to connect your septic system (tank or field) to the municipal collection system. This work is typically done by a private contractor.
- Arrange to get your meter installed, if you haven't already done so.
- Call the RM to arrange for a pre-hook-up inspection. If the connection doesn't pass, you'll need to correct the deficiencies and ask for a second inspection.
- Pay the RM of St. Andrews for the City of Winnipeg fee ($3,200 in 2024, $3,400 in 2025 or more in later years). You can give your cheque to the inspector at the time of inspection, if that's convenient for you.
- The inspector will provide a date and time for the switch-over from your current system to the municipal system. This work may need to be coordinated between the RM and your contractor.
- Once the switch-over is completed, you'll be using the municipal system.
How do I arrange for an inspection?
To schedule a date and time, you can submit a Service Request through
www.rmofstandrews.com or contact the RM office at (204) 738-2076.
When can inspections be done?
You can make an appointment for a time that fits your schedule – in the early morning, during the day, Monday - Friday during regular business hours, but first you have to prepare your property and have a water meter installed.
What will happen during the inspection?
The person doing the inspection will make sure you have:
- a two-compartment tank in good condition
- no build-up of solids
- a backwater valve
If your water softener discharges outside, the inspector will also check to make sure the discharge is going to an environmentally approved area.
Could more work be required after the inspection?
It’s difficult to say until the inspection is completed, since all homes are different.
On most properties, no further work will be required. On the day of start-up, the RM will just open up the shut-off valve, and the homeowner will flip the switch to turn on the pump.
In other cases, some additional work may be required. For example, if your pump is in the tank, you may have to adjust the flange so wastewater is directed away from the septic field and toward the municipal system. In other cases, some digging may be required to make the connection.
How do I determine if a property is serviced by municipal sewer?
Contact the municipality. They can assist in determining if a property can be serviced by a municipal collection system.
Can I use my current septic tank to connect to municipal sewer service?
Generally a tank over 25 years old should be replaced subject to contractor and municipality inspection.
Do I need a permit to install a septic tank that will be hooked up to a municipal collection system?
It depends - if the septic tank is being used in conjunction with a municipal sewer hookup, it is not considered to be part of an onsite wastewater management system and no permit/registration is required.
What are provincial requirements to connect to the new wastewater system?
How can I arrange for a water meter installation?
Please contact the RM office by using the
service request form or by calling 204-738-2264. There is no additional charge for the meter and a standard installation.
Please note that some situations may create the need for additional work. If so, these costs may be the responsibility of the property owner.
Where is my meter located and what does it measure?
The meter measures the amount of water flowing into a home through the incoming water pipe. Nearly all of this water will leave the home through drains and toilets – therefore, measuring water inflow is a practical way to determine wastewater outflow.
In our system, it’s standard to install the meter after the point where the water line branches off to the outside tap. This ensures that the meter records only the water headed into your home – not the water flowing to your outside tap for outdoor uses.
When you’re ready to have a meter installed, you can talk to the installer about any concerns you may have about the planned location for the meter. In some cases, existing plumbing may be configured in a way that makes it very difficult to locate the meter beyond the line leading to the outside tap – and if so, you may want to consider relocating the line. Additional plumbing may also be needed to work around outside lines, water softeners and other equipment.
Please keep in mind that you may be responsible for any additional work required beyond a standard installation.
Why can't the meter be placed so that it measures the outflow from the septic tank?
Measuring inflow, rather than outflow, is a practical way for municipal utilities to measure the volume of wastewater generated by each property. Virtually all water going into a home goes out through drains and toilets – therefore, the volume of water entering a home is a good indicator of how much wastewater will end up in the municipal system.
It’s also more economical to measure clean water flowing in, rather than effluent flowing out. The equipment costs far less, lasts longer and is easier to get at and maintain.