THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE FROM THE NIAGARA THIS WEEK
ARTICLE by PAUL FORSYTH
SEP 22, 2006
REGION WILL WAIT TO INVESTIGATE WAINFLEET PIPE ALTERNATIVES
STAFF AT NIAGARA REGION SAY PLANS BY A CONSORTIUM OF COMPANIES TO FIX THE CONTAMINATED WATER SITUATION IN WAINFLEET FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LESS THAN IT WOULD COST FOR CONVENTIONAL WATER AND SEWER PIPES WARRANT FURTHER STUDY. BUT THEY URGED REGIONAL POLITICIANS TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THE MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT MAKES A DECISION ON WHETHER AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) OF THE SO-CALLED HARD PIPE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED.
IN LATE AUGUST, THE CONSORTIUM APPROACHED THE REGION TO SAY IT COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF WATER CONTAMINATED WITH E. COLI FROM SEWAGE FOR FAR CHEAPER THAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS.
THE REGION IS LOOKING AT SPENDING UPWARDS OF $65-MILLION TO HOOK UP THE LAKESHORE AREA HOMES IN WAINFLEET TO A SEWAGE PLANT IN PORT COLBORNE.
BRUCE LINTON, SPOKESMAN FOR THE CONSORTIUM, SAID IT WOULD COST THE REGION ABOUT $40-MILLION FOR THE COLLECTION AND TREATMENT OF SEWAGE FROM THE HOMES. UNDER HIS CONSORTIUM'S PLAN, USING NEW TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS A MINI SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY RIGHT IN WAINFLEET AND HOLLOW FIBRE MEMBRANES INSTEAD OF TRADITIONAL PIPES, LINTON SAID IT WOULD ONLY COST ABOUT $21.5-MILLION.
BUT REGIONAL STAFF, DIRECTED BY POLITICIANS TO PREPARE A REPORT, TOLD ELECTED OFFICIALS THIS WEEK THAT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO STUDY THE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.
"STAFF RECOGNIZES THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCORPORATE SUPERIOR, STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPONENTS INTO THE PROPOSED WAINFLEET SYSTEM," SAID THE REPORT SIGNED BY MIKE TROJAN, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, AND IAN NEVILLE, COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THE REPORT, PRESENTED TO POLITICIANS WEDNESDAY, NOTED THE COMPANIES INVOLVED IN THE CONSORTIUM ARE "ESTABLISHED AND RESPECTED FIRMS" WITH DOCUMENTED EXPERIENCE IN SUCH SYSTEMS. BUT STAFF STRESSED THAT BEFORE ANY DECISIONS ON THE TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY TO BE USED ARE MADE, A FORMAL TECHNICAL REVIEW INVOLVING EXPERTS IN THE FIELD IS NEEDED.
SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN THE CONSORTIUM'S PROPOSAL WAS INCLUDED IN AN EARLIER, EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW OF OPTIONS CONDUCTED BY EXPERTS LOOKING AT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE SERIOUS WATER CONTAMINATION ISSUE WHICH PROMPTED AN ONGOING BOIL-WATER ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE REGION'S CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
THAT REVIEW CONCLUDED TRADITIONAL PIPES BE USED TO FIX THE CONTAMINATION PROBLEM.
MANY RESIDENTS IN THE LAKESHORE AREA ARE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THE HARD PIPE IDEA, FEARING IT WILL COST THEM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER HOME TO HOOK UP TO THE NEW WATER AND SEWER LINES.
AT PRESENT, THE HOMES ARE SERVICED BY WHAT EXPERTS BELIEVE ARE AGING, LEAKING SEPTIC SYSTEMS DISCHARGING E. COLI INTO THE GROUNDWATER.
LINTON SAID IT COULD COST NO MORE THAN $500 FOR A HOME TO HOOK UP TO THE SYSTEM PROPOSED BY HIS CONSORTIUM.
REGIONAL STAFF URGED POLITICIANS TO PUT THE IDEA OF ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY ON HOLD UNTIL THE EA DECISION--EXPECTED LATER THIS MONTH OR EARLY IN OCTOBER--IS HANDED DOWN. ANY MOVEMENT TOWARD APPROVING ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY COULD POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE MINISTRY APPROVAL, STAFF SAID.
ONCE EA APPROVAL IS GIVEN, STAFF SAID THEY COULD REPORT BACK WITH DETAILS ON THE PROPOSED TECHNICAL REVIEW OF THE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY.
WAINFLEET ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROVED
THE EA HAS BEEN APPROVED WITH CONDITIONS BY THE MINISTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT.. THERE ARE 5+ CONDITIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MET BY THE REGION, MOST OF THEM TO BE DONE BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTS, SOME OF THEM WILL NO DOUBT TAKE A LITTLE TIME .
THE WWSC WILL BE REGISTERING A COMPLAINT WITH THE OMBUDSMANS OFFICE, DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL WORK BUT IT IS WORTH A SHOT.
WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY IAN NEVILLE FROM THE REGION THAT WITHOUT THE FUNDING THIS PROJECT IS NOT VIABLE. AN APPROVED EA CAN SIT ON THE SHELF FOR 5 YEARS OR MORE, AWAITING FUNDING.
Still fighting, haven't given up, don't you give up either.
Betty Konc
GO TO REGIONAL NIAGARA WEB SITE !
WAINFLEET ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT APPROVED
Niagara Region – September 28, 2006 – The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Wainfleet Water and Sewer Servicing Project received approval this week, in the form of a letter from Laurel Broten, Minister of the Environment. The Minister’s decision was made after giving careful consideration to input received from various members of the Wainfleet Lakeshore community.
In the case of public works projects, an EA is a decision making process used to promote sound environmental planning by assessing potential benefits and ways of minimizing or eliminating possible negative impacts. In Ontario, projects, such as the one proposed for Wainfleet, must follow the Class EA requirements as set out in the Environmental Assessment Act.
The Minister decided that the Wainfleet Water and Sewer Servicing EA may now proceed, subject to a number of significant conditions. Regional staff is currently reviewing these conditions and will send further communication, specifically to Wainfleet’s Lakeshore residents, when more details are known.
Although the Minister gave permission to the Region and Township to “proceed with the project”, this does not mean that the project itself has been approved at the municipal and regional levels. The decision to move ahead with the Wainfleet Water and Servicing Project ultimately rests with Wainfleet Township and Niagara Regional Councils.
Prior to construction, there are a number of matters that must be examined in greater depth, beginning with many of the conditions identified in the Minister’s approval letter. Also requiring further investigation are innovative refinements to the project, detailed design, project costs and financing, affordability, and possible environmental impacts along the proposed right-of-way, among others. These, in turn, may require future Class EA amendments or approvals.
“Although we’re pleased that the Minister has approved this important project, this is simply the first step in any public sector undertaking. We remain committed to finding the best technology, at the lowest approved cost, to solve the issues affecting Wainfleet’s Lakeshore community. If that means deviating from what was proposed in the EA, we will certainly consider that,” said Chado Brcic, Director, Water and Wastewater Services, Niagara Region.
For more information contact:
Chado Brcic
Director, Water and Wastewater Services
Niagara Region
905-685-4225 ext. 3640
CONDITIONS OF THE EA REPORT
LETTER FROM NIAGARA NEWS
Mayor Gord Harry
PHONE: (905) 899-2625
They are listening and know we aren't going away!
Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .
