04Issues & decisionsOxford County

Public services

Safe water, enough capacity, clear bills

Water and wastewater accountability has to work system by system.

About this decision

Water and wastewater accountability has to work system by system. Oxford owns the systems, while Woodstock and Tillsonburg operate specified portions through service agreements; ownership, operations and billing can differ. The County’s February reporting summary had inspection results for eleven of seventeen drinking-water systems, with nine at 100% and two at 97%. Results not yet available must not be labelled failures. Growth capacity is a separate question: Norwich’s wastewater environmental study is marked complete, but that does not establish funded construction or available new capacity. Residents need the applicable rates, performance results, expansion milestones and responsibility for the next decision.

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Answers & question history Candidate or official? Explain your position →

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1Feb 15, 2024Recorded statement

22025-05Implementation

3Feb 25, 2026Recorded statement

2025 performance reporting point

Inspection-result availability at that date is not a claim that later results do not exist.

County water and wastewater — 2025 performance reports

Public question and answers

Who has explained their position?

Compare in depth

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Which systems need investment, and what exactly has been approved?
Person / office	Public record on this issue	Question status	Next step
Marcus RyanMayor · Zorra	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Brian PetrieMayor · Ingersoll	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Jerry AcchioneMayor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Deb GilvesyMayor · Tillsonburg	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Deb TaitDeputy Mayor-County Councillor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Bernia MartinDeputy Mayor-County Councillor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
David MayberryMayor · South-West Oxford	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Jim PalmerMayor · Norwich	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Mark PetersonMayor · Blandford-Blenheim	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Philip SchaeferMayor · East Zorra-Tavistock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Adrian CouwenbergMayor · Norwich	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Clayton HaightMayor · Blandford-Blenheim	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Don EdmistonMayor · East Zorra-Tavistock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Craig GillisMayor · South-West Oxford	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Crystal FinchMayor · Zorra	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Katie GriggMayor · Zorra	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Mrs. Lori McDonaldMayor · Zorra	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Aaron GorlickMayor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Asjad HussainMayor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Anthony ScalisiMayor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Jarrod ErbDeputy Mayor-County Councillor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Kelly GilsonCity-County Councillor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Mark SchadenbergCity-County Councillor · Woodstock	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify
Tim LobzunMayor · Ingersoll	No public answer foundOn this issue: Wants to advocate for better water and wastewater surcharges for Ingersoll.	No contact recorded	Read evidence Answer or clarify
Kelly SpencerMayor · Tillsonburg	No public answer found	No contact recorded	Open question Answer or clarify

What the evidence establishes

County ownership and contracted Woodstock/Tillsonburg operational responsibilities are described in the February 2024 service-agreement update.

Oxford, Tillsonburg and Woodstock service agreements

The 2025-performance summary had eleven of seventeen inspection results at its February 25 reporting point: nine 100% and two 97%.

County water and wastewater — 2025 performance reports

Norwich’s environmental study is listed complete with a May 2025 study report; completed construction is not established.

Norwich wastewater capacity expansion environmental study

The choices on the table

These are editorial alternatives to test, not attributed candidate promises.

Publish a system-by-system capacity and compliance dashboard

Editorial proposal: keep inspection results, drinking-water performance and wastewater compliance distinct; show missing reporting explicitly.

Connect development approvals to servicing milestones

Editorial proposal: publish capacity assumptions and dependencies before making delivery promises; allocation rules require project-specific authority.

How we got here

Feb 15, 2024
Recorded statement
Service agreements updated
Describes which bodies own and operate services.
Oxford, Tillsonburg and Woodstock service agreements
2025-05
Implementation
Norwich environmental study report published
Study completed; construction funding and delivery require separate evidence.
Norwich wastewater capacity expansion environmental study
Feb 25, 2026
Recorded statement
2025 performance reporting point
Inspection-result availability at that date is not a claim that later results do not exist.
County water and wastewater — 2025 performance reports

Questions that still deserve an explanation

Which systems face the tightest capacity constraints and what is the funded response?
What operational changes followed the inspections below 100%, and were they completed?
For each expansion, what remains between study completion and usable capacity?
What will the typical bill fund, and how will system-specific rates change?

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Sources and corrections

Reviewed Oct 1, 2026. Original records may describe earlier events.

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Follow this issue into the money

The money connected to this issue

Norwich lagoon biosolids cleanout

2026 allocation$1,400,000county · Project allocation as published; bid HST basis not established

Tillsonburg inlet trunk sewer replacement

2026 allocation$1,350,000county · Project allocation as published; bid HST basis not established

Oxford Road 59 and Fairway sanitary trunk sewer

2026 allocation$950,000county · Project allocation as published; bid HST basis not established

Separate records and funding scopes; amounts are not added together.

Project and budget details (24)

County · Other projects

Norwich lagoon biosolids cleanout

Clean biosolids from the County wastewater treatment lagoon.

Norwich

Funding approved · delivery unconfirmed

2026 allocation: $1,400,000
Named supplier: Enviroland Services Inc.
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Water, drainage & wastewater

Tillsonburg inlet trunk sewer replacement

Replace the sewer near Old Vienna Road with manholes, connections, restoration and erosion protection.

Tillsonburg

Awardee named; work scheduled to begin October 5

2026 allocation: $1,350,000
Named supplier: Birnam Excavating Ltd.
Next target: 2026-10-05 · Road closure scheduled
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Roads & bridges

Oxford Road 59 and Fairway sanitary trunk sewer

Replace the sanitary trunk sewer at Oxford Road 59 and Fairway Road.

Woodstock

County construction page labels work complete

2026 allocation: $950,000
Named supplier: Kieswetter Excavating Inc.
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Water, drainage & wastewater

Thamesford wastewater plant upgrade

New two-storey headworks, aeration-roof removal, generator and process equipment.

Zorra

Multi-year construction planned May/June 2026–May 2028

2026 allocation: $6,000,000
Next target: 2028-05 · Expected completion
Latest update: 2026-03-11 · Multi-year award recommended

County · Water, drainage & wastewater

Mount Elgin wastewater capacity expansion

Increase wastewater treatment capacity for Mount Elgin.

South-West Oxford

Funding approved · delivery unconfirmed

2026 allocation: $4,500,000
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Buildings & facilities

Tillsonburg Well 7A treatment facility

Build onsite treatment at 445 Broadway Street, demolish the existing facility at 451 Broadway Street and upgrade services.

Tillsonburg

Construction target: December 2026

2026 allocation: $5,590,667
Named supplier: Baseline Constructors Inc.
Next target: 2026-12 · Expected completion
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Water, drainage & wastewater

Tavistock Well 4: added water supply

Drill and test a production well on Hope Street West to increase water supply capacity and backup.

East Zorra-Tavistock

August target passed; completion not yet verified

2026 allocation: $798,000
Named supplier: AECOM Canada ULC
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

County · Roads & bridges

William Street sanitary pumping station

Sanitary pumping station and associated trunk sewer planning in Tavistock.

East Zorra-Tavistock

Survey work announced for June and July 2026

2026 allocation: $712,000
Named supplier: Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2026-07-06 · Survey week

County · Water, drainage & wastewater

Woodstock wastewater biogas utilization

Use biogas from the Woodstock wastewater treatment plant in renewable energy infrastructure.

Woodstock

Funding approved · delivery unconfirmed

2026 allocation: $2,500,000
Named supplier: Sutherland Schultz Ltd
Next target: No next date listed
Latest update: 2025-12-10 · 2026 Business Plan and Budget approval

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Meet your representatives

Want this answered?

Who has explained their position?

What the evidence establishes

The choices on the table

Publish a system-by-system capacity and compliance dashboard

Connect development approvals to servicing milestones

How we got here

Service agreements updated

Norwich environmental study report published

2025 performance reporting point

Questions that still deserve an explanation

Follow this issue into the money

The money connected to this issue

Local council

Oxford County

Ontario

Canada