Sarnia council has thrown unanimous support behind the Lambton Area Water Supply System's (LAWSS) joint funding application for $135 million in capital projects over the next 20 years.
LAWSS is seeking the funds to pay for critical infrastructure renewal and improvements to support region-wide growth and services.
LAWSS General Manager Clinton Harper told council Monday, their goal is to use funds the city already contributes.
Councillor Terry Burrell felt the request was reasonable.
"This isn't totally new money, it includes money we're already putting in on an ongoing basis, so over 20 years it's not a big difference from what we're doing now," said Burrell.
The city would be responsible for its share, amounting to about $27 million, which is approximately 60 per cent of one third of the total cost.
Sarnia's Engineering and Operations General Manager David Jackson said in a worst-case scenario, if the contribution was above what the city currently pays, it would be a one time permanent increase of 7.5 per cent.
"Depending on the timing of their projects, if the projects don't start for three years because of the grants, we could spread that over a couple of years," Jackson said. "So that would work out to maybe two per cent a year, for three years, or something like that, that could lower the immediate impact."
It's hoped council's support of the plan will help with applications to senior government for funding to cover the remaining two thirds of the cost.
Mayor Mike Bradley questioned the city's representation on the board prior to Monday's meeting.
He said he would like to see the city have more control given it's the biggest user of the plant and that equality on the board, based on usage, would also recognize the eventual growth of other Lambton municipalities.
Board of Management Chair Bev Hand confirmed the board is already "weighted" and there has been no discussion of new members.
"Even though there's one member from each (member municipality) it's weighted and technical people from each community are also part of the board meeting," Hand said. "There is no way for a new community to come on board, because they would have to determine a cost factor."
Hand said the original owners put up money to create the cooperative, so the value of those costs would have to be determined to represent what other communities have already spent.
