Program background
Under the current land development process in the City of Edmonton, the cost of water mains 400mm and smaller is incurred by the land developer and is recovered from lot purchasers as part of the developer's sale process. Once constructed, ownership of these mains is transferred to EPCOR Water at the time of the commissioning of the infrastructure in accordance with the Servicing Agreement between the City of Edmonton and the Land Developer.
The Water Main Cost Sharing (WMCS) program was approved in principle as part of the EPCOR Waterworks Bylaw 12585 in June 2001 by the City of Edmonton (since amended as EPCOR Water Services and Wastewater Treatment Bylaw 17698). Under this program, EPCOR funds, on a sliding scale, a portion of the costs of water mains between 300mm and 400mm in diameter.
Prior to 2017, funding of new 450mm mains was covered by the WMCS program. From 2017 onward, funding of new 450mm mains was transferred to the Private Development Transmission Main (PDTM) program. This was due to the increasing use of 450mm mains as transmission mains and the disallowance of small diameter servicing from these mains due to operational and maintenance concerns.
Eligibility
Only companies who have executed land servicing agreements with the City of Edmonton are eligible for the WMCS program. These agreements must entail the construction of a public water distribution system which involves water mains and associated appurtenances.
Program execution
Land Development Consultants, on behalf of the developer, are able to apply for the WMCS rebate using Sheet B of the As-Built Quantities and Costs Report as part of the Construction Completion Certificate (CCC) application package. A lineal rebate rate is applied for the appropriate pipe sizes based on the year of construction of the mains. These rebate rates are calculated at the start of construction every year to reflect material costs for that year.
Rebate applications are reviewed by EPCOR for completeness, appropriate rebate rates and accuracy of lengths claimed. Approval for applications is issued in accordance with the EPCOR Contract Execution and Spending Authority Policy (CESAP) matrix in effect at the time of application sign-off and are further reviewed by Water Finance prior to payment to the developer.
Rebate rates
The amount paid by EPCOR to developers will be based on a set of rates established annually by EPCOR. These rates will be made available to the public on our website and will be in effect on a calendar year basis from January 1 to December 31.
The contribution rates will be a fixed amount per lineal meter for approved 300mm, 350mm, and 400mm water mains, and are based on the estimated incremental material cost above a base cost for a 250mm main. There will be no reimbursement from EPCOR on valves, hydrants, services, other appurtenances or private mains.
The cost sharing rates in effect will be based on the Construction Year noted on Sheet B of the As-Built Quantities and Costs Report, and not the CCC Water Maintenance Start Date or the date the application is received by EPCOR. The calculated costs should be consistent with the rates effective at the time of the Construction Start Date. For example, if construction started on April 15, 2017, Rates effective January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 will be used. To accommodate this, the prior years' rebate rates will remain accessible on our website.
