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Return to; TIMES ADVOCATE 1
424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6,
mon — OM W - MI
Inside
The
Weigands
Teaching
in Brussels
See In the News
page 3
Exeter Saddle
Club '96
See Crossroads
Second front
Huron
Research
Station ---
Postpones
I-- field day
See page 19
Numbers
up at
SHDHS
EXETER - The enrollment at
South Huron District High School
jumped from 848 students last year
to at least 924 on the first day of
classes Tuesday.
"The guidance office is just full
of kids registering,” said Secretary
Jean Mason minutes before an in-
troductory assembly was to begin
at 9 a.m.
Also expanded is the school's
student council. According to Bill
Kline, head of communication for
the council, the group now consists
of 26 members from senior and jun-
ior and senior grades - a change
from yells past when junior repre-
sentatives were not included and
the membership was about half its
current number.
Next week student council has
plans for Grade 9 Welcome Week.
On Monday 'minor niners' will be
required to perform elaborate acts
on stage. On Thursday all grades
are invited to a Grade 9 dance that
will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Money raised from buying slaves
on Tuesday and Wednesday will go
to the Guidance Support Team
(GST) to help with Friday's activ-
ities.
Also on the upcoming high
school agenda: September 19 is
Picture Day.
Eagerly
awaiting
for their
school bus
Tuesday
moming to
travel to
Stephen
Central
School
from
Crediton
are from
the left,
Jackie
Payne,
Rachel
Mungar,
Becky
Barrett,
Kaylee
Barrett,
Melody
Mungar
and
Lindsay
Barrett.
Biddulph andLucan ready for meeting
BIDDULPH - In preparation for the second public meeting on amalgamation to be held In other matters at its Aug. 20 meeting, council accepted the tender submitted by Craw -
on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p,m. at the Lucan Community Memorial Centre, Biddulph Township ford Construction in the amount of $6,215 to supply and install a new roof on the eastern
gguncil discussed the amalgamation cop>ltee's revised draft resucturin proposal. section of the road department shed. �..
- The proposal's form was draftedir tift�6 scions by John Cute, of the Min- Council also directed Clerk -Treasurer Lally I otscfn to order -25 Sugar Maples and 25
istry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. A breakdown of expenses based on 1996 budgets White Ash from the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority for fall planting at an es -
of both municipalities was also presented. timated cost of $10 each.
Who's contaminating the water?
nt. atapublic meetingin Zurich last week stressed Hay Township
A particrpa
Council should avoid consideringthe ,issue a"farmers versus cottagers" debate
By Brenda Burke
T -A Reporter
ZURICH - Are E. Coli bacteria
levels along St. Joseph shores
caused by poor farm manure prac-
tices, faulty cottage sewer systems,
seagulls or dog poop?
That's what at least 50 people
want to find out, judging by a pub-
lic meeting at the Hay Township
Hall on August 2? where views and
recommendations were shared on
the area's watqr quality.
"There's no Iienying there's a wa-
ter problem," began Frank Moore,
of the St. Joseph Shores Home
Owners Association that originated
10 years ago to represent issues of
property owners.
By the end of September, the 40 -
plus member association will pre-
pare a report for Health Canada's
Great Lakes Health Effects Pro-
gram, which consists of partner-
ships for community education and
action on health and environment is-
sues. The group was allotted $3,000
to complete a one-year project and
their report will describe the sever-
ity of the water problem as well as
look into sources.
In partnership with the Huron
County Health Unit and Ausable
Bayfield Conservation Authority,
the St. Joseph association hired two
students to test the area's watershed
during the summer. A brief pres-
entation of sample site levels was
given at the meeting by Bonnie
Bannerman, an environmental sci-
ence student at Trent University.
Through last year's ABCA study,
St. Joseph E. Coli levels were found
to be the worst along the area lake -
shore.
Klaus Seeger, of the Huron
County Health Unit, praised the as-
sociation for initiating its study,
adding the Health Unit has been
wanting to start such a project for
some time but hasn't been able to
test the water as often as it would
like. He encouraged the start-up of
similar studies, pointing out there
have been reductions in water sam-
pling projects due to funding cuts.
"Bacteria don't always get de-
stroyed over time," he said, ex-
plaining E. Coli can settle during
the winter and contaminate next
season's water.
The health unit has posted signs
on county beaches at the beginning
of summer but Seeger admitted
there has been conflicting opinion
on whether to post the signs once
the water reaches 100 or 200 E.
Coli parts per million. In her pres-
entation, Bannerman stated 100 is
the safety cut-off point. Seeger said
signs go up throughout the summer
once three poor samples have been
taken back to back.
The property owners association
plans to continue its investigation.
"We don't want to draw any hard
and fast conclusions
at this point," "There's no de -
stressed Moore. nying there's a
"We're just col- waterTOb-
lecting information." p
Moore's wife, lem...We have ex -
Nancy, who is a reg- pectations of the
istered nurse, de- politicians and we
scribed E. Coli aswill go after that."
bacteria in human
and animal waste
that is especially dangerous to the
elderly, young and those with weak
immune systems. Because infection
appears four to six days after swim-
ming, it is impossible to detect im-
mediately, which makes It difficult
for youngsters spending time at the
beach. Symptoms include stomach
aches, diarrhea, vomiting and skin
infections of die eyes and ears.
E. Coli levels vary, depending on
factors such as rainfall, soil mois-
ture and the time of year. The bac-
teria is found in liquid manure run-
off and water from the Zurich la-
goon, explained Nancy.
"The water is contaminated at
least part of the time and maybe
with a group effort we can do
something about it," she said, re-
ferring to water in the Purgel Gully,
a , popular swimming spot that
opens up into St. Joseph waters.
The association will hold its sec-
ond public meeting on the cont-
mination issue this spring. It will
also meet with the Ministry of the
Environment and seek support of
Hay Township Council.
"We have expectations of the pol-
iticians," said Frank, "and we will
go after that."
"(The) municipality has to sit on
both sides of the fence," said Hay
Township Deputy Reeve Jim Love,
adding not only is there lack of
funding, council doesn't want to
upset area farmers. Besides, he
said, MOE is not responding to the
issue.
"I think
it's up to our township
council to come to
grips with this," said a
man who suggested
council appoint a repre-
sentative to help deal
with the issue.
When asked for his
comments at the end of
the meeting, Love re-
sponded, "So where is
the pollution coming
from? To say it's coming from the
narrow scope of Hay Township is
misleading."
He suggested winds carry con-
taminated water from elsewhere
and added there are only four live-
stock operations in the area's wt.'
tershed compared to a total of 34.
40 yews ago.
Causes of E. Coli contamination
were a heated el the meeting.
Private treatment is a
contributing said Tom
Prout, director of the Ausable Bay-
field Conservation Authority.
Hee000u a ed people to check
their systems and pump them every lacks power in the issue, it can take According to Seeger, lawn fer-
three years to keep them clean and initiative as a "first step." tilizer and dog feces contribute to
lengthen their life span. Concern was also expressed the problem. A woman in the midi -
However, suggested Seeger, "The about winterized cottages with out- ence suggested other possible caus-
more you pump, the more places dated systems. Although a dye test es of water contamination such as
you've got to put the sewage." can be used to find faulty septic pollution, erosion and flood con-
MOE, which has authority in systems, it's difficult to detect. trol.
sewage system decisions, was un- Prout advised people not to feed "There's a lot of problems. I'd
able to send representatives to the seagulls, which are another cause like to know where they come
meeting and Moore claims they of contamination, and added, "the from," said Jody Durand, one of the
have been difficult to reach. Seeger saying "'Clean up your own back- few farmers in the audience.
claimed although the Health Unit yard' goes a long way."
fir Continued on page 2
Poker rally
sy Days Car Poker Ratty kept Unda and in Russell busy on Sunday registering cars for
the township mystery tour. The 65 mile route was mapped around Hay Township landmarks
and provided an opportunity to learn more about the community's history. A Hay Days Feast
followed the poker rally.