SASKATOON – The City of Saskatoon is looking to entering into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to negotiate an agreement with Martensville to provide water and waste water service.
Officials in Martensville approached Saskatoon to consider allowing a connection to the city’s existing waste water treatment plant as the lagoon in Martensville is reaching capacity.
Randy Grauer, the community services department general manager for Saskatoon, said this is a key step for regional planning along with creating an outline for a more detailed formal agreement on water and waste water service.
“It’ll also help the City of Martensville to continue playing an important role in the growth and development of the Saskatoon Region,” Grauer said.
“Basically, it’s an agreement to agree.”
The cities would agree work together on several points that include exploring tap water delivery options, a plan to share costs of upgrades and new waste water infrastructure and future land uses.
Saskatoon is currently working on construction of a new odour abatement system and Grauer said having Martensville connected to the system would help pay for the project.
Grauer also made it clear that Saskatoon taxpayers would not be subsidising Martensville residents.
“We’re proposing the rates will be negotiated on the basis of Martensville customers paying a premium on top of what Saskatoon users pay,” Grauer explained.
“The premium will be based on industry rate models and reviewed every three years.”
The MOU would be in effect until Martensville reaches 20,000 people. At that point, the agreement would be renegotiated.
City council will consider the report when it meets on Feb. 10.
Comments