Oak Ridges resident 'begging' for water, sewer hookup in decade-long fight

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 29, 2021

The west side of Yonge Street features a massive mall; yet across the street you will find a small aging community where some residents feel forsaken and forgotten.

Located on the edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Muirhead Crescent neighbourhood near Stouffville Road and Yonge Street has been fighting for municipal water and sewer services for nearly ten years. Some now say they will go to their graves drinking well water.

"Where is our water? Over the past 11 years, our community has made 10 presentations to Richmond Hill council begging for consumable water and sewer service, with no success," said Paul Nolis, who spearheaded the effort to push for the services.

Nolis and his neighbour Tony Fasciano have to buy drinking water due to concerns about the quality of their well water. However, in February, York Region authorities reconfirmed that they have no drinking water quality concerns for this area.

Residents also fear the 70-year-old septic systems in the subdivision could contaminate the adjacent Bond Lake in the pristine natural reserve.

The Liberal happened to witness a septic tank repair while visiting the community in November. Nolis notes the whole situation really stinks, as septic failure has occurred on at least four different properties thus far this year.

Muirhead However, city officials do not see this as an imminent threat since there is no evidence that their septic tanks are in dire need of replacement, and it would be the homeowner's responsibility if and when they do require repair.

The servicing hookup project did gain status in 2016 but was only scheduled in 2020, before it was initially paused and subsequently aborted in 2021.

With 60 per cent of design completed at a budget of $565,100, the city halted the project in November 2020, citing constraints that included future development needs, additional costs required and change in property ownership.

According to city records provided to the Liberal, city staff re-engaged the community with a virtual meeting in March that 27 of the 34 homeowners attended. Only eight of them voted to move forward with the project, knowing they would be billed approximately $100,000 per property if the city hooked them up.

"The majority of residents here are seniors living on pensions. We cannot afford $100,000 per household for the privilege of having consumable water," said Nolis.

The total budget for the project is now estimated to be $11.1 million, with $7.7 million borne by city funding, said Paolo Masaro, executive director of infrastructure and engineering services.

The city ultimately informed residents that the approved 2020 capital project be "closed" based upon the results of petitions (lack of community support).

The project requires two-thirds community support to proceed, according to city spokesperson Kathleen Graver.

Graver explains that the city follows Ontario regulations for local improvement charges to recover project costs borne by benefiting properties.

An Oct. 27 staff report says a payback option over a 20-year period was provided to homeowners, but it still failed to receive community support. The report states that such special charges imposed at the sale of a property do not comply with legislation.

Muirhead But Nolis seemingly won't take no for an answer. He has taken every possible opportunity to present himself to council meetings, crying for change. He has reached out to all levels of government officials, calling for action.

"Not for myself, I am fighting this for future generations. I may have another 10 good years," said a desperate Nolis, who is 72 years old and believes he is one of the younger residents there.

Across the road from Nolis's well-kept house, one bungalow was recently sold after the owner died, and another ramshackle house has been deserted for decades and condemned by the city.

Nolis is convinced the ill-fated project in this "insignificant" community was tied to council politics. "We are a small senior community with no voting power. We have been screwed around for so long, now people just care no more. The responses from the city officials display age discrimination against our seniors.

"We ask, no, we beg, as we have been begging for 10 years. Please reinstate the Muirhead sewer and water project."