Enlarge Image

West St. Paul is poised to be the first rural municipality to tap the city's water and sewage system. City officials note more than half a dozen municipalities are looking to do the same. (PHOTO BY ROB BROWN)

Bruce Henley is focused on being a good neighbour.

The mayor of West St. Paul hopes the municipality will be connected to Winnipeg's water and sewage system within three years.

"The city has the capacity to help us out and with more than 200,000 people moving to the city over the next few years – Winnipeg need help with housing," he said.

"It’s a win-win for everybody."

Last month Winnipeg city council voted to sell sewage and water services to adjacent rural communities like West St. Paul.

Council directed city officials to finalize a deal with West St. Paul last month, which has been in talks with the city since 2007. The deal will ensure outdated West St. Paul sewage infrastructure, including septic tanks and fields, will eventually connect with Winnipeg’s sewage system.

Henley said many of West St. Paul’s existing sewage systems are already failing.

"Existing homes have failing septic fields. Some of the homes are 75 years old — built at a time when there were significantly less homes on the same system – that’s called growth and progress," he said.

Henley said the RM will help residents will seek federal and provincial funding where it can.

"We will work with other groups to source out and access funding to help cover applicable costs," he said.

It is expected some West St. Paul homeowners will have to pay at least $6,000 to have pipes installed from their homes to the new system.

Mayor Sam Katz said he expects the agreement to bring Winnipeg roughly 30% of West St. Paul’s new housing development revenue.

Henley said while the agreement fits in with a provincial mandate to find regional solutions, he said annexation of West St. Paul lands by Winnipeg is likely the furthest thing on both respective council’s minds.

"There have been no annexation talks across the table. There is no support for that process on our side of the fence."

Henley said there are a number of joint-use projects existing between the RM and city already.

"Our larvicide and mosquito control is performed by the city," he said.

"There are a number of agreements already but we are always on the lookout for new opportunities," he said.

West St. Paul is poised to be the first rural municipality to tap the city's water and sewage system. City officials note more than half a dozen municipalities are looking to do the same.

Facebook.com/TheTimesWpg  
Twitter: @TimesWPG

rob.brown@canstarnews.com