The wastewater project that unlocks Erin
For decades Erin Village and Hillsburgh ran on septic systems and holding tanks, which capped growth. A new municipal wastewater system, largely paid for by developers, is now in final commissioning. It is the single biggest reason thousands of new homes are coming to Erin.
- Status
- Final commissioningTown update, Sept 1, 2026
- Design capacity
- 7,172 m³/dayTreated at the Water Resource Recovery Facility
- Serves at build-out
- ≈14,559connected residents, Erin + Hillsburgh
- Developer funding
- $180M+plus $29.5M provincial grant
No sewers meant no growth. That’s changing.
Without municipal wastewater treatment, every home in Erin Village and Hillsburgh needed its own septic system, which takes a large lot. Erin was one of the largest communities in southern Ontario without municipal sewers, so for years land designated for housing in its two urban areas couldn’t be developed at normal suburban densities.
The Urban Centre Wastewater Servicing project changes that. It adds gravity sewers through Hillsburgh and under Main Street, twin forcemains, a pumping station in Erin Village and a new treatment plant on Wellington Road 52, discharging to the West Credit River under some of the strictest effluent limits in North America.
Wellington County now forecasts Erin growing from about 12,000 people in 2021 to 26,300 by 2051, with Erin Village rising from 3,100 to 10,800 residents and Hillsburgh from 1,400 to 6,100. That growth is only possible with sewers.
From approval to commissioning
Completion dates have slipped several times since 2024. The plant is now in commissioning, with the Hillsburgh link and existing-home connections still to come.
- 2016–2019
Class EA approved
The Urban Centre Wastewater Servicing plan is completed and the system is resized to about 19,000 equivalent population.
- Mar 2022
Plant contract awarded
A $114M contract is awarded for the Water Resource Recovery Facility on Wellington Rd 52.
- 2023–2025
Sewers go in
Hillsburgh gravity sewers, Main Street micro-tunnelling and twin forcemains are completed.
- Jul–Sept 2026
Commissioning
Plant commissioning begins July 8, 2026; the Erin Village pumping station is commissioned August 13.
- Dec 2026 →
Hillsburgh link & connections
Trail sewer linking Hillsburgh due Dec 18, 2026. Existing Erin Village homes connect 2027–28.
What the new system means for you
A pipeline of new homes
About 4,300 new households are planned for Erin Village and Hillsburgh by 2051. Six communities are already approved or in the approvals process, from Erin Glen to two large Hillsburgh plans.
New homes connect first
New subdivisions tie in as the system is built, and their developers carry most of the cost. New-home buyers avoid the $10,000–$20,000 private connection bill that existing Erin Village owners face in 2027–28.
Serviced lots, more options
Ontario lets fully serviced urban lots hold up to three units as of right, and those extra units are exempt from development charges. Subject to zoning, the builder and the Building Code, that makes legal secondary suites a real option.
The honest risks
The schedule has slipped repeatedly, costs have risen sharply, and the effluent cooling system is a known schedule risk. More supply also means more competition, so lot choice and price matter more, not less.
Sources: Town of Erin wastewater construction update (Sept 1, 2026) · Town of Erin wastewater FAQs · Town of Erin wastewater project costs · Erin Urban Centre Wastewater Servicing Class EA flows memo (2016) · Ontario invests $29 million in Erin water infrastructure (Jan 2025) · Wellington County Official Plan Amendment 120, growth forecast (Feb 2023)
Be first in line as Erin’s new communities launch
Most Erin projects are approved or in approvals and waiting on servicing. Register once and we’ll tell you the moment each one opens, with price lists and floor plans.
- Price lists, floor plans and deposit structures as soon as they’re out
- First pick of lots before public launch weekends
- Straight answers on which models and lots hold value
Erin wastewater questions
Is the Erin wastewater treatment plant operating?
Not fully yet. As of the Town’s September 1, 2026 construction update, construction of the Water Resource Recovery Facility is mainly complete and the plant is in commissioning: phase one began July 8, 2026, and the Erin Village pumping station was commissioned on August 13, 2026. Remaining steps include the second commissioning phase, introducing sewage and installing the effluent cooling system, which the Town flags as a schedule risk.
Does the wastewater project affect people buying a new home in Erin?
Yes, positively. New subdivisions connect to the system as it is built, and the developers of those subdivisions have funded most of the cost. New-home buyers do not pay the $10,000–$20,000 private connection cost that existing Erin Village homeowners face. Until the plant opens, Erin Glen homes use holding tanks with sewage trucked to Orangeville, billed at an interim $1,000 a year.
Who paid for Erin’s wastewater system?
Mostly developers. The Town reports more than $180 million in developer funding, plus extra per-unit contributions of $7,000 in Erin Village and $10,000 in Hillsburgh. Ontario added a $29.5 million Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund grant, mainly to connect existing Erin Village homes and businesses in 2027–28.
How much growth can the new plant handle?
The plant is designed for 7,172 cubic metres a day, enough for about 14,559 connected residents at full build-out (about 8,565 in Erin Village and 5,994 in Hillsburgh), with capacity added in stages over many years.
When will Hillsburgh be connected?
Hillsburgh’s gravity sewers are complete. The trunk sewer along the Elora Cataract Trail that links Hillsburgh to the plant has a milestone date of December 18, 2026. The Town has not published dates for connecting existing Hillsburgh homes.
Can I add a basement or garden suite to a new home in Erin?
Ontario’s Planning Act allows up to three residential units on a parcel of urban residential land served by municipal water and sewer, such as two units in the house plus one in an accessory building, and exempts those extra units from development charges. Once Erin’s urban lots are on municipal services, that framework applies, but builder agreements, the Ontario Building Code and the Town’s zoning still set the details. Confirm with the Town and your builder before buying with a rental suite in mind.
