The Times Advocate, 2004-04-07, Page 1(519)235-1115
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South Huron Rec Centre
TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
1.25 (includes GST)
Bylaw will protect
SH drinking water
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — The municipality is
getting serious about not wanting resi-
dents to use water -powered water
pumps on sump pumps.
Operations manager Dennis Hockey
brought the issue before council Monday
night recommending a bylaw be passed
prohibiting such injector pumps from the
municipality or ensuring each installa-
tion of the product be approved by a
municipal plumbing inspector and paid
for by the customer. Each unit would
have to be protected from cross connect-
ing with the municipality's drinking
water by a backflow preventer.
After discussing the issue, council
directed staff to prepare a bylaw to ban
such water -powered pumps from the
municipality, disconnect the pumps
already in use and set fines for those not
in compliance.
The water -powered pumps are used to
power a sump pump to pump water out
of flooding basements. As Hockey
explained to the Times -Advocate, there is
a concern they could contaminate South
Huron's drinking water supply.
The pumps are operated by water,
which causes a suction action to lift
water through a sump pump outside.
The problem, Hockey said, is if the pump
stops, there is potential the water being
pumped outside can then be sucked back
into the municipality's drinking water
system.
"It's a direct cross connection between
non -potable water and our potable water
system."
Hockey said these pumps do have
check valves to prevent such accidents
but they vary in quality and a simple
spring check valve could stop operating if
contaminated with dirt.
Hockey said the pumps are readily
available at area businesses. He isn't
sure how many water -powered pumps
are used in the municipality, but at least
one household is removing theirs after
the device caused their water bill to
increase dramatically. Hockey said an
area plumber has admitted to installing
"a number" of the pumps in the munici-
pality, but it isn't known how many. The
Huron County Health Unit has approved
the installation of one of the pumps in
Usborne.
Hockey's main concern is the potential
for contamination of the drinking water
supply.
"The big issue with us is if there is
potential for cross connection, why do it
at all? Why take a risk?"
Coun. George Robertson was outspoken
in his opposition to the water pumps. In a
written report to council Robertson said
he contacted an environmental officer to
ask what could be done about the issue.
"I was told we should, ASAP, go to a
lawyer and get a bylaw to regulate this
practice. I was told that if we continue to
allow these hook-ups and something
goes wrong, the whole system may have
to be shut down, flushed and tested."
Robertson recommended council pass
a bylaw specifying no water -powered
equipment be installed in South Huron's
drinking water system.
"I, for one, don't want people getting
sick from our water just because we are
remiss in taking a stand by allowing this
to happen. We have the means to act,
and we as elected representatives of the
people should put a stop to this practice
now."
Coun. Ken Oke said if there is a chance
sewage can get into the municipality's
drinking water, the municipality must
have a bylaw against such pumps.
Hockey contacted several other munici-
palities about the water pumps and,
See WATER PUMPS page 2
Granton water pipeline project
to cost more than expected
By Mary Simmons
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
LUCAN — A project to run a water
pipeline to Granton will cost more than
expected.
At a meeting of Lucan Biddulph coun-
cil Monday night Mayor Tom
McLaughlin said the municipality
recently opened tenders on the project
and were shocked at the difference
between the estimated cost and the
tender prices.
The cost of the project was originally
estimated at $840,000 with the munici-
pality, the province and the federal gov-
ernment each contributing one-third of
the funds.
Since that agreement was made, ten-
ders were submitted and the lowest bid
from Birnam Excavating Ltd. came in
at $985,438.32.
McLaughlin said the municipality has
already discussed the difference in
price with the province and it has
agreed to cover its portion of the
increased costs as long as the proper
documentation is presented.
McLaughlin asked Perth -Middlesex
MP Gary Schellenberger, who was pre-
sent at the meeting, if he thought the
federal government would be willing to
do the same.
Schellenberger said he was willing to
write a letter in support of such an
action immediately, but could not guar-
antee anything.
McLaughlin said there is a sense of
urgency with this project since it has
already gone to tender and the munici-
pality has to respond within a certain
See PROJECT page 2
McGillivray Central School students in Chris Schatzler and Liz Russell's class-
es learned about the benefits of bats last week when members of the Lake
Smith Conservationists helped students build bat boxes.A non-profit organi-
zation based in Lambton County, the Lake Smith Conservationists look after
the deer population in the area, feed the swans and hold an annual fundraiser
dinner to fund projects like its visits to area schools. From left are McGillivray
students Yvonne Mawson and Becky Morgan with Lake Smith member Mark
Wilds. Each student was able to take a bat box home and the school received
one as well. Designed as a house for bats,Wilds said they are beneficial
because the more bats there are, the less mosquitoes there are, something
good in the fight against West Nile virus. He said his group is visiting 10
schools, including Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Grand Bend Public School and
Stephen Central School.The conservationists will return to the schools next
fall to help students build bird feeders. Schatzler said the bat box project is a
wonderful opportunity for students to understand the role bats have in
nature."They're learning so much," she said."It's hands-on learning."
(photo/Scott Nixon)
Council sees water testing results
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
VARNA — Members of the Bluewater
Shoreline Residents Association (BSRA)
brought the issue of water quality to
Bluewater council Monday night with an
update on the group's water testing pro-
cedures, results and plans for the future.
John Gillespie, president of the BSRA,
reviewed the findings of the BSRA of the
water quality tests it has taken along the
lakeshore.
Since 2000, Gillespie said the percent-
age of time ravine water quality tested at
St. Joseph shores during the summer
months has been above safe limits has
ranged from 88 per cent in 2000, up to
91 per cent in 2001 and down to 75 per
cent in 2002.
In 2003 samples ranged from 50 per
cent at Sunset Estates to 100 per cent at
Ridgeway and 85 per cent at Huston
Heights.
Water quality at St. Joseph beach has
ranged from 58 per cent in 1996, up to
88 per cent in 2000 33 per cent in 2001,
70 per cent in 2002 and 46 per cent in
2003.
Gillespie said the findings could be
taken in a positive light that the figures
weren't increasing or negatively that they
weren't decreasing.
He said they showed the ravines are a
major source of contaminants.
He added if it was predominatley faulty
septic systems that were the problem, the
results would be consistently higher,
pointing to the Zurich lagoons and agri-
culture runoff as two contaminant
sources.
According to Gillespie, the BSRA is con-
tinuing to test both as a means of notify-
ing people and to look for signs of
improvement which hasn't been seen yet.
Coun. Josh McClinchey asked what
Gillespie saw as the next step for water
See WATER page 2