Zurich Citizens News, 1975-07-31, Page 6Page 6 - Zurich Citizens News, July 31, 1975
Grand Bend area residents
oppose dumping park sewage
A small, vocal group of Grand
Bend and Stephen Township
residents last Thursday opposed
a plan to dump treated sewage
from a mobile trailer park into
the Ausable River.
The trailer park, Grand Cove
Estates, now has 296 units
ready for occupancy in Stephen
Township.
A proposed expansion of the
100 -acre site to include 50 acres
in adjacent Grand Bend would
increase the number of units
to more than 700 in the next
10 years.
Sewage from the trailer park
currently is treated in an on-
site lagoon and spray irrigated
on the surrounding land.
The ministry of the environ-
ment has accepted this proced-
ure for sewage disposal with a
provision the park join a proposed
Grand Bend treatment facility,
now in the initial planning
stages and about two years
from completion.
Meanwhile, the owner of Grand
Bend Estaes, Lou Rice, in partn-
ership with his brother Max, is
seeking to proceed with the
$100,000 construction of pipes
to transport sewage from the lag-
oon to the Ausable River.
The system would be construct-
ed to permit connection with
the Grand Bend system when it
is ready.
Opposition to the interim
proposal to pipe treated effluent
to the Ausable River came at an
environmental hearing board
meeting.
The hearing is required under
provisions of the Environmental
Protection Act when sewage is
transported from one municipal-
ity (Stephen Township lagoon) to
another (Grand Bend).
Doug Barker, a representative
from the Grand Cove Estates,
consulting firm, the Kleinfeldt
Group Ltd., made the initial
presentation, emphasizing the
safety features of the system.
Neil McMullin, an environment
ministry spokesman, said the
ministry supported the system.
But at least five of the 20 at
the meeting were not convinced
about the system.
"What is going to happen to
the fish and the beach at Grand
Bend...when this chemically -
treated sewage is dumped into
the river? said William Moore of
Grand Bend.
"And what about the water in-
take for the City of London which
is a mile and three-quarters
away?"
Mr. McMullin said the effluent
would be treated to ministry
standards and the lagoon system
is superior to any other system
available.
Mr. Rice said the lagoon is
so safe, there are fish living in it.
Another resident questioned
the wisdom of the two-stage
dumping of lagoon effluent -
once in the spring and once in
the fall.
He said discharging the mater-
ial in the spring when there is
a heavy run-off is satisfactory,
but during the fal the Walker
drain; which flows into the Aus-
able, is almost dry.
At one point, those opposing
the system took over the meeting,
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shouting questions at Mr. Barker
and Mr. McMullin, demanding
answers.
"Can you guarantee 100 -
per cent treatment of this --can
you drink it?" said John Manore,
of Grand Bend.
"No, I wouldn't," was the
response.
"I' m saying this thing can be
a big problem --what's going to
happen to the beaches if we
have an act of God and the
lagoon overflows," said someone
else.
"The whole thing should be
put off until a proper sewage
system is established for the
whole area.
"And what is going to happen
to the sludge at the bottom
of the pond --is that going into
the river?"someone else asked.
Both Mr. Barker and Mr.
McMullin attempted to answer
the questions, saying the system
is safe and would not affect
the residents.
As the hearing ended, Keith
Gill, whose farm is next to the
proposed 80 -acre Grand Bend
lagoon, shouted at hearing board
chairman David Morton that
"it's about time you take back
what you hear here and respond
to it."
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