HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-08-22, Page 13Wednesday, September 14, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 7
Year long wastewater management review comes to council
Lynda HIIIman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
For close to a year there
`s been a Lambton Shores
eport in the making regard-
ing the proposed tri -munic-
ipal sewage treatment facil-
ity and collection systems,
and Lambton Shores CAO
John Byrne presented the
power point to council at
their regular meeting last
week. There is no new
information, this being a
briefing on the actions of
the municipality since the
2006 beginning of the tri -
municipal board. The
report will now go to newly
formed adhoc committee
for consideration.
Byrne talked about the 30
year old lagoons and the
committed allocation and
future demands on the sys-
tem and exceeding facility
capabilities. Neighbours
South Huron share the
lagoons with Lambton
Shores and have since the
beginning.
Estimated Costs
That led to the stimulus
and grant applications and
Byrne said previous coun-
cils said they should con-
sider zones 3 and 4 since
they were getting dollars -
and they should be looking
to the future. That included
the Pinery Park and South
Bend. And that was how the
numbers came to be. The
tender go out within the
next couple of weeks and as
it stands today the project -
for Lambton Shores, South
Huron and Bluewater is
estimated at $26,681,980.00.
With Build Canada Funding
($14.9) and a Green Munic-
ipal fund of $1 million so
,he net cost is
0,781,980.80.
Lambton Shores share of
that is (approximately 48%)
$5,218,478. 71 less the Pin-
ery funding of $1,440,826.96
there is a net cost for Lamb -
ton Shores is $3,777,651.75
(Financing over 20 years
$842,923.91- $42,146.30).
With a single train facility
Lambton Shores share
would be $2,967,240.60 less
the Pinery funding
$1,115,167.31 for a net cost
of $1,812,073.29. (Financ-
ing over 20 years is
$404,335.82 ($33,104.67
annually).
Cost recovery would
come from property lot
charges, sewer rates and
development charges.
In a Snapshot of the 2009
they looked at flow -water
quality- a -coli speculation
driven -need to protect Lake
t luron and being proactive.
After mediation discussions
with their tri -municipal
partners, this body accepted
to build state of the art facil-
ity and the word from upper
tier was to get the plant
built and then come back
for collection system
dollars.
Proposed Collection
systems
Plans for servicing Zone 3
and 4 depend on provincial
legislation and funding. In
Zone 3 there are 1100
homes and 1100 septic sys-
tems. Public concerns are
costs, liabilities, impact on
density and need.
Septic system talks with
Lambton County resulted
in discussion regarding the
age of existing septic sys-
tems- this did not mean
performance- it merely
illustrated there are septics
where there are no
records. Asking Byrne what
the age of septic systems
data tells us he said, " the
data shows that while many
of the systems in Zone 3 are
relatively new tertiary sys-
tems that appear to be in
good order, there are a large
number of old systems in
Zone 3, that are nearly 40 to
50 years of age and older.
The data also shows that
there are no records at all
for many systems and that
is a concern. There have
been several reports that
some older systems are
simply "dry -wells" that have
no treatment value at all."
Byrne said when you take
this data and the results of
the groundwater study
there is clear evidence that
high nitrate and phosphate
levels correspond with the
location of these older
systems.
"That is what the three
independent reviews from
the three university profes-
sors have agreed upon.
There is clear impact on the
groundwater from failing
septic systems, " he said.
Byrne said funding came
and went while they were
discussing the environmen-
tal assessments. Ile said it
Would have been easier to
give funding back- but they missed
the opportunity.
The Lakeshore Advance asked him
what this was in reference to and he
said, "As to my comment about miss-
ing the opportunity for funding pre-
sented by the recently concluded
Federal and Provincial Stimulus Fund
Program, my observation was that
since the whole issue of the develop-
ment of the STF and collection sys-
tems had been delayed to allow for
more community dialogue, and since
the EA processes for the collection
systems were either withdrawn or put
on hold, we were unable to make sub-
missions for funding for those
systems."
"Although we still sought audiences
with Federal and Provincial reps to
seek funding, it was constantly
pointed out to us that money had
been provided for the new STF over 3
years ago and little to no progress had
been made in moving that project
forward, why would they consider
allocating funding for collection sys-
tems if the fate of the STF was still in
the air.
It appears that the window of
opportunity for another round of
infrastructure funding for municipal-
ities has passed and that the Federal
and Provincial focus is now on reduc-
ing deficits."
"We cling to the hope that given the
Governments support for the con-
struction of the STF that they will fol-
low up with similar financial support
for the development of the collection
systems but the opportunity to utilize
the Stimulus Funding programs for
this purpose has been lost," stated
Byrne. Councilors Martin Underwood
and Lorie Scott said this report
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should be referred to the adhoc group
for their consideration.
Septic motion
Lambton Shores councilor Ruth 111 -
man wants a status report from
Lambton County regarding the plans
for septic inspections.
"I believe that one of the most sig-
nificant issues facing Lambton Shores
is wastewater treatment along the
entire Lakeshore , not just Zones 3
and 4. This is a huge issue in Port
Franks and Ipperwash and also Kettle
Point and very much so along the clay
banks of the west Bosanquet shore-
line," she explained to the Lakeshore
Advance.
"The west Bosanquet septic sys-
tems are old for the most part -with
exceptions to some new builds. I want
to keep the issue before council. I
have received many complaints
from residents in this are about the
need for a solution , that solution
being some kind of communal
system.
Like everywhere else that will be
controversial. We did a master Plan
for the area back in 2006 and this
council needs a little more education
on the area," she concluded.
This council have already asked the
county to do inspections- but are now
asking that need be expanded to
other parts of the municipality.
The motion from Illman, that was
passed at last week's meeting states,
"That Corrine Nauta, Septic Inspec-
tor and Manager of Building Services
for the County of Lambton be asked
to report to Council on the status of a
Lambton Shores' septic tank inspec-
tion program and also, the status of
septic system data gathering for the
West Bosanquet-Lakeshore Special
Policy Area. "
Questions from gallery
During question period resident
Bob Sharen asked about lot charges,
a nominal fee, even if zones three and
four were not part of the proposed
collections system. He was told this
report would be referred to the adhoc
group for discussion.
He also suggested a septic inspec-
tion had to be requested to the county
and councilor John Russell said that
had already been done by this coun-
cil in February.
Resident Dick Matzka asked if
council knew there were three
reports, two of them supporting a
report by Dr. Belke, from university
professors and asked if council had
requested the one from Dr. Brian
Branfireun.
He was informed all three reports
have gone to the adhoc committee
and that yes, former mayor Gord
Mineilly asked the CAO to get other
reports and that request was also
confirmed by mayor Bill Weber.
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