Some Leamington residents are going to have to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for a major sewer project.
The next two phases of a major sewer installation project along Bevel Line and Point Pelee Dr. are proving to be more expensive than planned.
The project initially had an estimated cost of a little over $8-million, but it's now up to $11.7-million.
Leamington Mayor John Paterson says unstable soil conditions below the road means more digging for the contractor and a bigger bill for the town. As a result, the portion homeowners pay directly for the project is jumping from about $10,000 to more than $17,000.
The property owners in the area were expected to split $4.4-million in cost, but that's increased to nearly $7.7-million.
Paterson says if the project gets derailed, it could end up costing the residents even more.
"The town received a $4-million grant from the province that needs to be used on the project," says Paterson. "If there's any stoppage in this plan right now, we risk losing that $4-million and then the full cost will then be borne by those residents."
Paterson understands residents are upset over the escalating costs, but says installing a septic tank can cost even more, upwards of $30,000 per home.
"This is really, in the end, going to be the most economical and most trustworthy way of taking care of septic waste that is being generated," says Paterson.
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change also has an order against Leamington to stop the sewage spewing into Lake Erie.
"We have to stop putting raw sewage into Lake Erie — that's where we get our drinking water from, that's where we do our recreational and commercial fishing, that's where we do our boating," says Paterson. "It has to stop."
A special meeting set for 2pm on Wednesday will see council vote on the contract for the next two phases of the project.
J&J Lepera has the lowest bid at roughly $6.2-million.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of summer 2018.