Resolution 2010-90 was passed on February 17th, 2010. The wording of the resolution indicates that our Mayor and Councillors do not understand the workings of the municipal lagoon system. This resolution shows reckless disregard for the environment and is a real threat to the multi-million dollar tourism and recreation industry that sustains the local economy. The resolution is shown in the left column of the following table and my comments are in the right column.
| WHEREAS Council of the Municipality of French River has received a completed septage plan confirming a theoretical reserve capacity of 102.7 cubic meters per day; and | The actual reserve capacity reported to council by the engineers was negative 58 cubic meters per day. Even this number is incorrect, as I explained in my report to council. The true, current, reserve capacity in the Noelville lagoons is negative 137 cubic meters per day. The negative number means that there is not enough capacity to service lots that have already been established but not developed. The theoretical reserve capacity would require dredging the lagoons to remove sludge. In addition, the engineer's report arrived at this number by assuming that the average household connected to the sewers would voluntarily reduce their waste water volume by about 38%. Even if this highly unrealistic goal is achieved, when the errors in calculating the maximum theoretical capacity are taken into account, the reserve capacity would only be 23.7 cubic meters per day |
| WHEREAS it has been identified that the hour reading of the pumps, due to faulty and aging equipment, has greatly overstated the sewage capacity used; and | This idea was thrown around at the February 3rd Committee of the Whole Meeting but there was no evidence that the alleged faulty meter had been calibrated to determine any inaccuracies. I will be asking council to allow me to review the methods used to identify and quantify the errors. Regardless, the history of lagoon operations and discharge volumes indicates that any errors are probably less than 10% and over 400 cubic meters per day is entering the lagoons. |
| WHEREAS Council of the Municipality of French River will be commissioning the installation of a flow meter that will provide accurate flow figures of waste pumped to the lagoons; and | I would think they would want accurate flow figures before making any decisions. Meter story aside, the flow of water out of the lagoons confirms that they are operating over capacity. That is why they are not achieving the retention times specified in the Certificate of Approval. |
| WHEREAS the Municipality has initiated with the residents of the town of Noelville a volunteer reduction of inflow and infiltration from surface water connections to the sanitary sewer system; and | Pathetic! How much infiltration is there? They don't know. At the same meeting where this resolution was passed, council decided to defer resolution 2010-89 which would "direct staff to commision an infiltration study for the Noelville Lagoon Sewage System". |
| WHEREAS the Municipality of French River with the advice of professional engineers is looking into the possibility of amending the Certificate of Approval for the lagoons that would increase capacity from 477 cubic meters per day to 796 cubic meters per day. | Ridiculous! You can't increase capacity with paperwork! 796 is exactly double the maximum lagoon capacity of 398 cubic meters per day and would fill a cell in 3 months. The system can't even handle the 437 cubic meters per day it is currently receiving. |
| THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of French River hereby agree to resume land development for a period of one year or for the creation of (100) one hundred new lots whichever come first, at which time a progress report will be issued to Council on the mitigation measures put in place and reconfirm the exact actual septage reserve capacity. | Totally irresponsible! Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead! Hoping things will get better is not good government. |
Noelville sewage treatment lagoons. February, 2010.
Proposal for a power plant on the French River. January, 2010
French River algae blooms. January, 2010
French River Community Fisheries Enhancement Committee. December, 2009
Open letter to the French River Community. October, 2009