Lakeshore Advance, 2012-05-02, Page 10Wednesday, May 11, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 3
Capacity for the Sewage ileatment FacIIIty-IookIng back moving forward
Lynda Hinman -Replay
Lakeshore Advance
Questions to the t\tinistry
of the Environment, Lamb -
ton County, and the Munic-
ipality of l.ambton Shores in
&mole past few years questions
iegartding the capacity of
the (;rand Bend lagoons
have been asked and
answered, At the May 2
council meeting some of
those questions came to
light again. With those
questions and some from
area residents, the Lake-
shore Advance will again
print that information.
In the beginning
The original agreement to
construct the Grand Bend
Sewage Treatment Facility
wars between (rand Bend
and the Provincial Ministry
of Environment and was
executed on the 20th day of
February 1978. The Agree-
ment was amended on the
2nd of November, 1984 to
include Stephen 'Township
so that the Grand Cove
Estates Development and
the Green Forest Estates
Subdivision (now refereed
to 1lurbourside Village on
Gill Road) could he serv-
iced, Although never really
put into a ratio it repre-
sented a capacity split of
approximately 20`4, Stephen
Township (South Huron)
and 80% (rand fiend
(1 anlhton Shores)Over time
it became clear to those two
communities that there was
capacity way beyond what
they could envision using
for that original intent. SO
they began exploring meet-
ing the needs of develop-
ment outside those areas
and over time made capac-
ity allocations for the
Motorplex, Huron Country
Playhouse, and the POG
facility, and they were all
seen as mutually beneficial
to the economy of both
communities, Sometime
later the septic system at the
Oakwood Resort failed and
it was agreed to allow the
Oakwood to use up some of
that capacity. The last allo-
cation made in the South
Ilut'oll area was a "tempo-
rary allocation" to the Oak-
wood condominium devel
opulent north of the
Oakwood on Highway #21,
-these allocations to South
l turon ended up exceeding
their assigned capacity in
the lagoons but as good
neighbours, Lampton
Shores (former (rand Bend)
tried to help them out. The
capacity then became 394
m- Stephen 'Township
(South Huron) and 1494 m
- Grand Bend (Lampton
Shores).
MOE
'she existing lagoons were
approved at a time before
effluent standards were
established for the facility.
It is doubtful that such a
"carte blanche" approval
would be given to the
lagoons again. The effluent
standards for the new treat-
ment facility will he far
more stringent than the
existing. The Ministry of the
Environment does not sup-
port the use of lagoons
today as a method for sew-
age treatment.
Capacity
The lagoons by certificate
of approval from the Atillis-
try of the Environment have
a average daily capacity rate
of 1891 all/day, The storage
capacity at the treatment
facility exceeds the average
daily capacity now as the
design of the facility and
treatment of sewage depends
on storage in the four cells.
In order to properly deal
with sewage the cells are
emptied twice a year, once
in the spring and once in the
fall, when the effluent meets
the certificate of approval
effluent standard for release.
Capacity in the treatment
facility has been committed
as follows:260 nl to Grand
Bend Community Corpora-
tion (Southbend Estates)
which represents the devel-
opment of 229 single
detached dwelling lots and at
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ASTRAL FUNDING INC. 1-800-387-1932
61 in, shoot. H,Ilio\c',
250 seat golf course club house. 470 in
to the Pinery Provincial Park6O m to
Rice Development Company 1nc,'s
subdivision on Main Street East units
lune 19, 2011, 136 approved lots Won-
dergrove Cottages subdivision, Won-
dergrove Condominium which using
LS 2009 flow rates represent approxi-
mately 98 111 (97.92m)(0,782 all x 136
units) Southbend has 229 lots finally
approved which at today's rates would
generate 2.28 million dollars in devel-
opment charges plus $59,24/m of gross
floor area of the golf course club house.
However, there are still 330 lots which
do not have final approval which at
today's rates would generate $3.21 mil-
lion dollars in development charges,
'there are also commercial lands within
the subdivision which could accom-
modate approximately 13,000 m of
commercial floor space. At today com-
mercial development charge rate of
$59,24/nl an additional $770,120 of
development charges would be gener-
ated. In summary, the minimum total
development charges generate by the
Southbend development at current
rates at full build out will be $6,34 mil-
lion dollars.
High and low
There are yearly fluctuations in the
amount of sewage treated in the (rand
Bend sewage treatment facility. 'These
fluctuations need to be accounted for
when assessing available uncommit-
ted capacity in the Sewage Treatment
Facility, so that the capacity is not over
committed in ti year of lower flows. r\
holding ton' is placed on lands within
a development for which there is no
sewage treatment facility capacity
available. The holding tone can be
lifted by Council when capacity is
available. however, if there no addi-
tional capacity available in the foresee
able future the development should be
refused.
35,96 m2- what does that mean's
That is the capacity left in the lagoon.
35,961114 sewage capacity would serv-
ice between 36 and 45 dwelling units.
McGann Ready Mix Inc, are projecting
that they will require 45 m per day of
capacity in the Grand lien) Sewage
Treatment Facility to service the pro-
posed 49 apartment units.
west Gout
kitchens..
And Much More
Ueda laMIMIC
D xagner
• Kitchcox • l\rstomyatutws
• Iiniertatnn>rnt anus • Ham splices
Coma ikevms
temMenitil
Visit Our Showrn m
50 West St. Goderich
519440.0352
ti.rwrfack A IDb•irf ('Aa useer 4 ('....n
akiirws, i/rA• ».r Arad Mile
Kemal' warteewtkM•twrwttte..rr.c.
Shclf IIfe
Once a subdivisions is given all their
approvals- the capacity is theirs. No
shelf life- it can't he taken away. The
Rice (;roup still only has draft approval
which is due to lapse on June 19, 2011.
'they are very close to satisfying all the
conditions of their draft approval, but
have advised the Municipality verbally
that they will be requesting all exten-
sion to their draft approval. 'lhe con-
ditions of draft approval grant 60 in of
sewage capacity in the Grand Bend
Sewage 'Treatment Facility to the Rice
Development until lune 16, 2011. This
allocation will lapse if the draft
approval is not extended. "Condi-
tional" sewage allocation is granted
with a draft approval as it gives the
developer, who is investing hundreds
of thousands of dollars in detail engi-
neering into a project, assurance that
if the this process is completed with in
the established time frame that sani-
tary capacity is available. It gives the
developer time to satisfy the condi-
tions of approval. It should be noted
that 60 nl represents only about 25%
of the capacity needed to allow full
build out of the Rice Subdivision,
Who is paying nowT
The cost of operating the lagoons is
incorporated into the I,anlbton Shores
and South Huron sewer rates, so in
l.amhton Shores there arc' over 4,500
properties connected to the sewage
system that help pay for the operation
of the lagoons and will help pay for
the capital cost of the new treatment
facility.
Water flow
Lltlllbton Shores use water rates as
the 1)1(515 for sl'Wt'!' rates, "what comes
into the home or business from the
water system must leave the bonne or
business by means of the server sys-
tem". The municipality keeps flow
records for all of its customers, those
records would show flows on a quar-
terly basis. Capacity in the Grand
Bend Sewage 'Treatment facility is
based on average daily Clow. 'The aver-
age daily flow takes into consideration
seasonal fluctuations as it is calcu-
lated by dividing the actual teetered
yearly flow by 365 days. All flows into
the sewage treatment facility are
metered and the amount of sewage in
the four cells (lagoons) that comprise
the treatment facility are monitored.
The cells are emptied twice a year,
once in the spring and once in the fall.
The municipality does not monitor
individual sewage flows from each
property connected to the sewer sys-
tem. However, the municipality does
monitor water consumption at each
property connected to the water sys-
tem. Charges for sewage treatment
and conveyance are based on at per-
centage of the metered water flows.
This percentage is not how the Munic-
ipality monitors sewage flows into the
treatment facility.
CONTINUED > PAGE 6
7 COUNTY OF HURON
MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
tKIRON FOR CULVERT REPLACEMENT COUNTY ROAD 81
ot
NOTICE OF COMPLETION
THE PROJECT:
1 ho County of i iuron is planning to carry out tho replacomant of a culvert located on County Road
81 (Grand !lend Lino) hotwoon Crediton and South Road Tho stntcturo spans a tributary of tho
Ausahlo Rivor (Isaac Municipal Drain). This will include the ropfacomont of a deteriorated culvert
with a roinforcod concrete ovoriay, curbs and parapet walls and stream realignment.
At this limo, it is anticipated that tho culvert replacement would bo complotod during tho
2011 construction sot►son Duo to tho oxtont of work required, oho affoct mad section of County
Road 81 would bo closod during construction with traffic being dotourod around (ho projocl silo
THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING PROCESS:
Tho planning for this project is following tho onvironmontal screening process sot out for Schedule
E3 activities undor tho Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. Tho
purpose of the screening process is to identify any potential environmental Impacts associated
with tho project and to plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts. Tho process Includes
consultation with tho public, stakeholders and government review agencies.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT:
For hither Information on this project please contact tho consulting onginoors. B.M. Ross and
Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-2641. Fax (519)
5244403. Attention. Kelly Vader, Environmental Planner (e -mall. KY.60141I101I40.,11Q1). A
Screening Report documenting the environmental assessment process will be available at tho
Municipality of South Huron administration offices, 322 Main Street South, Exeter during normal
hours of operation, as of May 16, 2011.
If environmental concerns arise regarding the project which cannot bo resolved in discussion with
the County of Huron, a person or party may request that the Minister of tho Environment make an
order for the prosect to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act which addresses
Individual environmental assessments. Requests must be received by the Minister at the address
below within 30 calendar days of this Notice. A copy of the request must also be sent to the
consulting engineers at the above address. 11 there Is no request received by Juno 10, 2011 the
project will proceed as planned.
Minister of the Environment
135 St. Clair Avenue West
101" Floor, Toronto, ON M4V IPS
This Notice Issued May 11, 2011 Dave Laurie, Director of Public; Works
County of Huron