The RDEK is developing a new bylaw to introduce Development Cost Charges (DCCs) for the East Side Lake Windermere Water System.
DCCs are fees collected from new development to help pay for the cost of infrastructure needed to support growth. In this case, the proposed DCCs would help fund water system upgrades and expansion required as the East Side Water System Service Area grows over time.
This would be the first time DCCs have been introduced. Currently, the system uses a Capital Infrastructure Fee, and the proposed bylaw would replace that fee with a DCC structure that is tied more directly to growth-related water infrastructure.
Open House
The RDEK is hosting an open house to share information on the proposed bylaw, explain how the charges were calculated, and answer questions from residents and developers.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Windermere Community Hall
Residents, property owners, and developers are encouraged to attend. It will be a drop-in format, so people can come and go anytime between 4 pm and 7 pm.
Detailed Project Information:
As new homes, businesses and developments are built, the water system must be able to keep up with increased demand.
The proposed DCC bylaw is intended to ensure that a portion of the cost of new and expanded water infrastructure is paid through development, rather than relying entirely on existing users.
The proposed charges are based on water infrastructure projects identified in the 2022 Master Plan, which looked at long-term servicing needs for the East Side Lake Windermere Water System. The planning assumptions are based on 2% annual growth over 25 years.
The proposed DCCs are intended to help fund growth-related portions of future water infrastructure projects, including:
- reservoir expansion
- distribution and fill line upgrades
- water treatment plant connections and capacity upgrades
- raw water system capacity improvements
- watermain twinning and looping to improve service and reliability
Some of these projects benefit both existing residents and new development, while others are needed mainly to support future growth. Because of that, each project has been reviewed to determine what portion is related to growth and therefore eligible to be funded through DCCs. To see a more detailed breakdown, please refer to the Technical Details section.
The total list of water system capital projects reviewed is approximately $16.1 million.
Of that amount:
- about $10.88 million is identified as benefiting new development
- about $10.78 million of that is proposed to be recoverable through DCCs
- the remaining costs would continue to be funded by the Service Area or grants, depending on the project
Proposed DCC Rates
The proposed DCC rates for the East Side Lake Windemere Water System are:
| Land Use | Unit | Proposed Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Low Density Residential | Per Lot | $10,819 |
| Multi Family | Per Unit | $8,655 |
| Commercial | Per m2 | $38.95 |
| Industrial | Per m2 | $38.95 |
| Institutional | Per m2 | $47.60 |
How Does This Compare to Current Fees?
The East Side Lake Windermere Water System currently has a Capital Infrastructure Fee of $8,000 per new lot or additional dwelling.
Under the proposed DCC structure:
- Low density residential would increase from $8,000 to $10,819, an increase of $2,819 or 35%
- Multi family residential would increase from $8,000 to $8,655, an increase of $655 or 8%
- Rates for commercial, industrial and institutional development would be based on building area rather than a flat per-lot charge.
Detailed List of Capital Projects
This is the list of capital projects identified from the Master Plan that all have at least a portion of growth attributed to them. Below this table, there is a summary by project highlighting the rationale for the allocations being used.
