HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1975-12-03, Page 6CHRISTMAS :HE HANDYMAN
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Maitland contamination 'dangerous'
1,1
(Continued from Page 1)
Poor Results
Mr. McMullen testified that
the four outlets with "extremely
poor results", Elm, William,
Holiday and John Sts., drained
east, west and south portions of
the village. Since the four worst
outlets drain most of Brussels, he
concluded that sewage disposal
was a generalized problem within
the village.
In many areas the counts
"suggests that raw sewage is
being disposed directly" into the
river, he said. Fecal an'd coliform
counts are so far above acceptable
level that "it's all dangerous'',
Mr. McMullen said in answer to
hearing chairman Ebers, •
Wingham lawyer
R.R.Campbell, acting for a
number of Brussels residents who
are objecting to the proposed
sewage system, asked Mr.
McMullen if One bad polluter
might put the coliform and fecal
counts up. Mr. McMullen said
that was unlikely in a sizeable
storm sewer system like Brussels
has but if the polluter's waste was
the only flow in the drain, it could
give a high count.
Mr. Ebers told A.R.Mill, the
lawyer for the village of Brussels
and the Ministry of the
Environment that the need for a
sewage system in the village and
the ability of the village to pay for
the system were the two things of
prime interest to the OMB,
Mike Latta, senior project
engineer with the Ministry of the
Environment testified that the
province will pay 75% of the cost
of constructing the sewage
system. Goderich engineer Burns
Ross, whose firm designed the
sewage system for Brussels, said
he would add 10% to his 1974
estimate of the cost of
constructing the system in 1976.
The 1976 cost would be close to $3
million,Mr. Ross said.
Working with the old $2.7
million estimate, Mr. Latta told
the hearing that. Canadian
Mortgage and Housing
Corporation would loan the
village additional money and
would probably make about
$275,000 of their loan forgiveable.
Of the $3 million burden, only
about one half million will fail on
the village? Mr. Ebers of the
OMB asked. M r. Latta agreed.
On crass examining , by Mr.
Campbell, Mr. Latta said that
CMHC was not giving a definite
committment , but that the
Ontario government's promise to
pay 75% of the cost "definitely is
there."
66' Frontage
Mr. Latta said the average
homeowner with a 66' frontage
would pay a connection charge of
$50.62 annually for 40 years, a
frontage charge of $19.80 and
once hooked up, a surcharge of
426% on water bills or an average
of $127.80 for a total of $198.22
yearly.
If a home or lot owner chose not
to connect to the system he would
pay the first two char .ges but not
the surcharge, for a total, of
$70.42. It's Ministry po licy to
connect vacant, buildable lots to
the sewage system during
construction, Mr. Latta said,
unless a council directs
otherwise, because the original
tilinstruction is cheaper and
eligible for grant s.
The Ministry will bill the
municipality for the cost of
treating the sewage, Mr. Latta
said, and Brussels will recover
this cost from the payments from
homeowners. Mr. Latta reminded
the hearing, attended by about 50
people, that larger municipalities
with better tax bases don't get
grants for sewage construction.
His Ministry estimates
operating costs at between
$36,800 and $46,350 annually,
Mr. Latta said. "Operating costs
are like bacteriological counts, we
can only give ranges commented
Mr. Ebers.
Mr. Campbell, acting for
protesting ratepayers questioned
both Mr. Latta and Burns Ross on
whether other types of sewage
treatment had been investigated
for Brussels. Both men said the
three stage treatment proposed
for Brussels was necessary
because the middle Maitland
River required a high degree of
treatment of sewage.
OMB hearing vice chairman
Mr. McCrae told Mr. Campbell
that we should assume that the
Ministry has chosen the best
system for Brussels, because
public money was paying for it.
Chairman Mr.Ebers called Mr.
Ross's testimony "convincing
and valuable evidence" and said
we have to assume that the
Ministry was acting in the public
interest unless Mr. Campbell
could prove otherwise.
Clear. as Possible
Mr. Ross said the proposed
sewage treatment system would
be adequate for 1600 people and
would put effluent that was "as
clear as possible" into the
Maitland at the western end. of
Brussels.
Mr. Campbell questioned both
engineers about the feasibility of
a package treatment plant for
Brussels, like the one being
installed in a mobile home park
near Wingham called Turnberry
Estates. Mr. Ross said the
treatment plant was only about
one quarter of the cost of the total
sewage system and that a
collection system would still be
needed with package sewage
Mr. Ross told Mr. Campbell
that although the sewage lagoon
serving Brnssels probably cost
two thirds of what the Brussels
system will initially, "it is ruled
out because the Maitland at this
point can't take lagoon effluent."
Jim McCaul, chief health
inspector with the Huron County'
Health Unit told the OMB hearing
that commercial and industrial
buildings in Brussels were being
forced to install temporary
holding tanks for sewage,
because they had no room to put
in ,proper septic tank systems.
Severance
He said the health unit and the
county severance committee has
had to insist on two lots being
used for one house in some cases
in Brussels, in order to provide
room for a proper septic tank
system.
Mr. McCaul said in the future
without sewers Brussels would
see many commercial buildings
on holding tanks and many new
houses using two lots instead of
one,
Brussels reeve Jack
McCutcheon said he's been
interested in sewers for Brussels
since he was first elected to
council in 1964. The reeve said
the lack of sewers in the village is
limiting development and the
number of building lots available.
He said there is a stench from
,:atch basins along Main St. in the
summertime. "There's no doubt
in my mind what I'm smelling"
he said.
Reeve MeCutcheon
remembered that in 1966 the
village got a cost estimate for
sewers. It was $547,000 and
`nobody on council could see
spending that amount then."
The province had re-
commended sewers for the village
as far back as 1963, the reeve said
and "what will the cost be
tomorrow?"
"If we're going to hold our
commercial area and if we are
going to grow, " the reeve said,
during the OMB hearing's break
for lunch, "there's no chairman Ebers predicted that
alternative". the hearing might run over until
The hearing continued after today, with citizens who object to
press time Tuesday of ternoon. the sewage system being heard
At the beginning, hearing then.
Weddin g
Photo by Russell Studio
McCALLUM — WILLIS Linda Dianne Willis,
daughter of Archie and Mable Willis of BruSsels and
Paul Kenneth McCallum, son of Harold and Pearl
McCallum, R.R.1,Walton, were united in marriage
on October 24, 1975 at Brussels United Church with
R0v.Eric L. LeDrew officiating.
The
Chilthen s Aid Society
requests your support for its,
Christmas Bureau.
Any. new or good used toys, gifts
and clothing :may be left at
SALVATION ARMY; WINGHAM
December 8, to 12.
income fait : redditift issued for ail
financ iialdohtlifiOnt•
(.ftegistratioti Nd. -61841 2,01415):
ieittA,vg_to
fee49*41 1.*
pot DECEMBER 3, 1976
Area