A new environmental assessment has identified more than $52 million in upgrades needed to support future growth in McGregor. Consultants told Essex council on Monday night that the McGregor Sewage Treatment Facility is approaching capacity, operating at 89 per cent of its rated limit in 2024. The system serves parts of both Essex and Amherstburg and is expected to face increasing demand from future residential and industrial development. The preferred solution includes a major expansion of the treatment facility on County Road 11, upgrades to sewer lines and improvements to pumping stations. The study also recommends servicing the proposed Howard Industrial Area through the McGregor system. The estimated cost is $35.5 million for the treatment plant expansion, $6.1 million for sewer upgrades and $10.5 million for pumping station improvements, bringing the total to roughly $52 million. Administration said any expansion would require talks with Amherstburg, which owns the facility. Council voted to receive the report and direct staff to seek updated sewage capacity figures.
