Sussex Begins Process To Establish Unified Water and Sewer User Fees

NEWS

January 25th, 2023

Sussex Council has begun the legislative process to amend the water and sewer by-laws of the former Town of Sussex and the former Village of Sussex Corner. The fee schedules of the by-laws will establish universal fees for all residential and commercial customers connected to the municipal water distribution and sanitary sewer collection systems. An equitable service fee will be applied to all areas of service in the new municipality of Sussex.

Please refer to the draft Schedules of Fees currently being considered for enacted by Sussex Council:

Proposed Ward 1 Schedule of Fees
Proposed Ward 2 Schedule of Fees

The Sussex council process of establishing our new user fees proposes a combined water and sewer annual flat rate in the amount of $450.00 per residential user. In the simplest of terms, the new 2023 rates will see a modest annual increase of $10 per residential connection in 2023 in Ward 1, and in Ward 2 a reduction of annual fees of $70 per residential connection in 2023. Sussex will establish a universal billing system that will be unique to the new Sussex over the coming months.

Throughout the Local Governance Reform process undertaken in 2022 for the development of the new Sussex, universal water and sewer fees were identified as an issue that needed to be considered by the new community early into its new mandate.

In January 2023, at the first meeting for the new community, Sussex Council has initiated legislative steps to act upon this important commitment to all residents.

Sussex Council has also asked Town Administration to provide further information on the new 2023 rates and the necessary reconciliation of billing in 2023 as well as our new payment structure over the coming months. You will be receiving an insert in an upcoming mailout to each household in Sussex explaining our new system.

For more information contact Scott Hatcher, Chief Administrative Officer for Sussex at (506) 432-4540.