St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy

Share St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy on Facebook Share St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy on Twitter Share St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy on Linkedin Email St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy link

This project is complete and final updates have been posted to the page. Thank you for your participation!

The County of Brant is inviting residents, landowners, developers, and community members to review the draft of the St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy and provide their feedback.

As the County of Brant continues to grow, ensuring access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water and wastewater services is critical, especially in the community of St. George, where servicing capacity is currently limited.

To support long-term growth, the County is investing in major upgrades, including:

  • An upgrade and expansion of the St. George Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to 3,900 m³/day
  • A new water treatment facility with additional wells to

The County of Brant is inviting residents, landowners, developers, and community members to review the draft of the St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy and provide their feedback.

As the County of Brant continues to grow, ensuring access to safe, reliable, and sustainable water and wastewater services is critical, especially in the community of St. George, where servicing capacity is currently limited.

To support long-term growth, the County is investing in major upgrades, including:

  • An upgrade and expansion of the St. George Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to 3,900 m³/day
  • A new water treatment facility with additional wells to improve system reliability

However, the amount of proposed development in St. George exceeds the upgraded wastewater system’s capacity. That’s why the County has developed a draft Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy, a fair and transparent plan that outlines how limited servicing will be assigned to support future development.

Summary of the Draft Policy

The draft St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy outlines how the County will allocate limited wastewater servicing capacity in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

Proposed Allocation:

  • 625 m³/day – For the existing St. George community
  • 2,500 m³/day – Reserved for the Landowners Group (developers contributing financially to infrastructure upgrades)
  • 363 m³/day – For infill developments within the built boundary
  • 412 m³/day – For higher-density developments or projects not previously considered

Eligibility and Timing:

  • Only developments with Draft Plan Approval and meeting all registration conditions are eligible.
  • Developments are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, except for the Landowners Group (which has agreed to finance part of the infrastructure costs).
  • Infill developments will have priority access while capacity is available.

Ongoing Tracking: The County will update and share its Capacity Tracking Tool twice a year to provide transparency.

This policy ensures that development in St. George happens in a responsible, financially sustainable, and environmentally sound way while supporting future community needs.

FAQs

We have included a list of frequently asked questions to help answer some questions you may have.

Stay Informed

Subscribe for updates and be the first to get updates. Simply add your email to the Stay Informed box on this page and click ‘Subscribe'.

This project is complete and final updates have been posted to the page. Thank you for your participation!

  • What we heard and what's next

    Share What we heard and what's next on Facebook Share What we heard and what's next on Twitter Share What we heard and what's next on Linkedin Email What we heard and what's next link

    What we heard

    Thank you to everyone who took the time to review the draft St. George Water and Wastewater Capacity Allocation Policy and share your questions, concerns, and ideas.

    Public input helps guide how we plan for growth in a sustainable, fair, and informed way. Below is a summary of the key themes we heard from the community through the comments and questions we received.

    • Environmental Concerns and Fairchild Creek

    Several participants expressed concern about the environmental impacts of additional development, especially relating to Fairchild Creek, which some believe already experiences poor water quality. Residents asked how future development would be monitored and whether local water systems can support growth without harm to the ecosystem.

    • Infill Development and Intensification

    Several contributors voiced support for infill housing and increased building height within the existing community, rather than sprawling into undeveloped areas. There was interest in planning that protects farmland and natural areas while increasing housing supply more efficiently.

    • Impacts to Surrounding Lands and Specific Developments

    Participants asked how the policy will affect certain properties or developments, such as the Oaks of St. George golf course, or lands surrounded by proposed subdivisions. Some residents were concerned about traffic and servicing impacts to their neighbourhoods and future access to infrastructure.

    • General Support and Community Engagement

    A number of participants thanked the County for being transparent and for publishing information in a way that is accessible and open to feedback.

    How your input influenced the policy

    You asked: What about protecting Fairchild Creek and the environment?

    The policy is grounded in the results of an Assimilative Capacity Study, which confirmed that the receiving water body (Fairchild Creek) can handle the expanded wastewater capacity without environmental harm. The plant will operate within provincial standards to prevent water pollution

    You asked: Can we prioritize infill and smarter use of land?

    The policy reserves at least 7.5% of the total wastewater treatment capacity (363 m³/day) for infill development, going even further than required by the County’s Official Plan Amendment (OPA 8). These projects will receive priority as long as capacity is available.

    You asked: How will the policy apply to existing properties and private landowners?

    All developments outside of the Landowners Group are considered on a first-come, first-served basis once they are ready to register and meet County requirements. Infill properties within the existing service boundary will be given priority access while capacity remains.

    You asked: How will this be monitored and updated?

    The County will:

    • Monitor system usage regularly
    • Update the Development Tracking Tool twice per year, and share the latest version on the County website
    • Revise the policy if water or wastewater systems reach 90% capacity, or if new development would push the system beyond its limits

    What's next

    The County will continue monitoring system capacities and update the Water and Wastewater Capacity Tracking Tool twice per year, which will be published for public access.

    Servicing capacity will be reserved for development applications as they move through planning approvals, in line with the approved policy.

    This project is now complete. Thank you again for taking part in this important conversation. Together, we’re helping ensure that growth in St. George is sustainable, fair, and future-ready.

  • Share Your Feedback

    Share Share Your Feedback on Facebook Share Share Your Feedback on Twitter Share Share Your Feedback on Linkedin Email Share Your Feedback link

    We invite residents, landowners, developers, and community members to:


    Engagement closes Tuesday, July 15, 2025 at 4:30 p.m.

    Your input will help inform the final version of the policy, which will be presented to Council in July 2025 for approval.

    Level of Engagement

    For more information, please read the County of Brant's Community Engagement Framework.