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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 27, 1999 - Public MUNICIPALITY OF BAYHAM PUBLIC MEETING CONCERNING SEWAGE STUDY FOR THE VILLAGE OF VIENNA AND THE HAMLETS OF STRAFFORDVILLE & EDEN Wednesday, January 27, 1999 8:00 p.m. BAYHAM COMMUNITY CENTRE STRAFFORDVILLE A Final Public Meeting was held at the Bayham Community Centre in Straffordville, under the Class Environmental Assessments for Vienna, Straffordville and Eden Sanitary Sewage Projects. The meeting was chaired by Bob Vallee. Present were Mayor Max Stewart, Deputy Mayor Jack Petrie, Councillors David Mason, John Nezezon, and Cliff Evanitski, Administrator/Treasurer Lynn S. Buchner, and Clerk Lynda Millard. Approximately 145 residents were in attendance. 1. Call to Order— Chairman Bob Vallee Chairman Bob Vallee called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m., and welcomed those present. 2. Opening Remarks —Bob Vallee Mr. Vallee explained the format the meeting would follow, and that a time for questions and answers would take place after the presentations. 3. Introductions Mr. Vallee introduced Consulting Engineer, Cyril J. Demeyere, Senior Project Manager, Andy Valickis, Acres & Asssociated Environmental Limited, Geoff R. Burn and Bob Wilcox, and representatives of the Ministry of the Environment, Rod Baird, Ontario Clean Water Agency, Phyl Pressey and the Elgin-St. Thomas Health Unit, George Dawson. 4. Presentation by Andy Valickis, P. Eng., Senior Project Manager, Ontario Clean Water Agency Andy Valickis advised that this meeting was being held as Council of the Municipality of Bayham had promised at the previous public meeting held in August, 1998. He advised that funding approval had been granted under the Provincial Water Protection Fund for the proposed sewer projects only. More detailed cost estimates were reflected in the handouts given to those in attendance. He requested that the comment sheets be completed by those objecting to, and those in support of the projects, and submitted to the municipal office by noon February 1, 1999. Presentation by Cyril J. Demeyere, P. Eng., Cyril J. Demeyere Limited, Consulting Engineers Cyril J. Demeyere summarized the construction and administrative costs as outlined in the Vienna, Straffordville and Eden Sewage Projects handout, and explained the proposed method of allocating the costs per household through (1) Frontage charges, (2)Annual taxes, and(3) Service charges, summarizing the totals for each project based on 4 different scenarios of repayment. COUNCIL MINUTES 28 JANUARY 27, 1999 4. Presentation by Geoff R. Burn, Manager Municipal Infrastructure Division, Acres & Associated Environmental Limited Geoff Burn explained the requirement to expand the Port Burwell Sewage Treatment Plant to accommodate the additional flows. The treatment would be changed from the present standard activated sludge process to a sequencing batch reactor(SBR)process. 5. Question and Answer Period Mr. Vallee opened the floor to questions,stating that anyone wishing to ask a question,proceed to the audience microphone,state name and direct the question to a specific representative in attendance. Q. Florence Ferris—Why should Vienna residents share in the cost of the forcemain from Eden and Straffordville? A. Cyril Demeyere—Sewage will be gathered locally by gravity and pumped from Eden to Straffordville, to Vienna and then to the sewage treatment plant in Port Burwell. Andy Valickis—All forcemain costs are incorporated and all pay equally Q. Ray Maddox—A Bump-up request has been submitted which requires that names be posted. No Notice has been received, why? A. Andy Valickis - When a Bump-up is submitted to the Minister of the Environment it goes to the Environmental Assessment Branch then to a reviewer who talks to those making the application and also to the municipality. Points are clarified, information sought if required, and the reviewer makes a recommendation to the Minister, who will then in turn notify both parties of the decision. A verbal rresponse had been received, stating that the Bump-up request would not be approved. Nothing has been yet received in writing. Q. Ray Maddox--Not having received the notice promised,many of us had to come unprepared for this meeting. A. Andy Valickis -None of us here are involved in the Bump-up process. Q. Ray Maddox—Why were households in Eden, Straffordville and Vienna only checked. If testing was done in Corinth, Richmond and Calton the problem would likely be determined to be more widespread. A. Andy Valickis—If there are problems in other areas they should be looked into. Further expansion of the STP for use by additional communities could be made if needed. Cost for including the whole municipality would be multiplied greatly. A grant has been approved for the three mentioned. Q. Wade Spitzke—If the grant is refused will we incur greater costs down the road? Interest at 8 % seems to be high. Will developers pay 100 % of all servicing? A. Andy Valickis—If the grant is passed up, 100 % of costs will be borne by some individual property owner who will be required to meet specific standards. Interest rates are just estimated. It is hoped actual numbers will be lower. Rod Baird—If nothing is done,the problems are still here. Septic systems are now the responsibility of the Municipality. MOE and the Health Unit would require that the Building Code be enforced in the fixing of faulty septic systems. It would be necessary to know the impact on ground water and the concern for water quality safety would require sampling. In regard to a lack of response to the Bump-up request, the Minister should be called tomorrow. It's his decision and his time. COUNCIL MINUTES 29 JANUARY 27, 1999 5. Question and Answer Period (continued) Q. Leo Pacquett—There appears to be ground water testing/monitoring regularly in Port Burwell. Q. Valerie Donnell—Why is it required that the existing outfall of the Sewage Treatment Plant must be reviewed. A. Andy Valickis—It was indicated that when the plant was originally constructed the outfall pipe was to have been put out past the sandbar in the lake a considerable distance. In 1972 concession was made, for cost- cutting purposes, for discharge to be allowed near the mouth of the creek. It is required to report on this rationale, and files are being pulled and reviewed to determine necessity of modifications to the outfall. Q. Valerie Donnell—Won't this cost more? A. Andy Valickis--Maybe, small modifications to the type of discharge will be required. With the new type of plant upgrade, loadings will be cut in half and impact will not increase. Formal submission is to be made. Q. Donna Nevill—If a sewage system is put in how long will it take to remove the freeze on development as a result of poor quality drinking water? A. Rod Baird—The freeze would remain in place, and depends on the levels of nitrates in samples which would be required to be still taken by the municipality. Rain speeds up the process. There is no definite time as many factors contribute to reduction. Andy Valickis— Sampling results would have to be provided indicating that the water is safe. Improvement is anticipated in a few years. Q. Thousands of gallons of raw sewage are being dumped into streams north of Tillsonburg. What about user pay? Q. George Allen—Nitrates caused by faulty septics in the 1960's were confirmed by the Health Unit to be in sewage from Vienna. Beaches were posted because of ecoli not nitrates. I am puzzled by the same situation results in Eden and Straffordville. A. Andy Valickis— Septic malfunction in Vienna resulted in discharge into the Otter causing direct ecoli loading on the stream. Straffordville and Eden do not have a stream to load. It was noted in 1972 that Vienna had a problem then. Q. George Allen repeated question. A. Bob Wilcox--Ecoli don't survive in a tile fieldbed. They must be discharged directly into the stream by animal/human discharge of waste. Due to proximity of Vienna to Port Burwell they would not be dispersed. The more serious disease bacteria are easiest to find. Q. George Allen—Is there no ecoli present in Eden or Straffordville water? A. Bob Wilcox—Yes, but the situation is different in that wells can be chlorinated to eliminate the ecoli. Cyril Demeyere—Eden has a bacteria problem, 39.6 % of wells tested exceeded limits and 21 wells were unsafe for drinking. Letters were sent and each owner knows own results. Q. George Allen—Why would a sewage system be put in when water is needed? A. Andy Valickis—This was a Ministry decision that sewage is the main problem, supporting funding to eliminate this. Other water related symptoms will then be reduced. COUNCIL MINUTES 30 JANUARY 27, 1999 5. Question and Answer Period (continued) Q. Hilary Roose—Installation of a sewage system will enhance property values. What happens to existing septic systems? A. Andy Valickis—Septics will be disconnected,tanks drained and filled with sand. It is not necessary to remove the tanks. Q. Ray Maddox—There is a lake of water under hamlets, isn't it possible that the contamination is coming from other areas? Other areas would likely have a problem if tested,why not check the whole municipality? We're all being painted with the same brush. A. Bob Wilcox—Don't confuse ecoli with nitrates. Ecoli can be treated with chlorine, nitrates need to be flushed. Q. Allen Spicer—There's only one taxpayer, why should $14m be spent in a rural municipality when there's new technology available to fix up individual systems. A. Rod Baird—Many lots are too small to accommodate individual fixes. A communal system is the solution for betterment of the whole community. Growth areas were surveyed. Other problem areas may be looked at. Study grants are still available. Q. Pat Cole—What's this requirement that if a sewage system is installed but the problem is not fixed,the grant money has to be paid back? A. Andy Valickis—A requirement of the Provincial Water Protection Fund that grant monies be returned if the problem is not fixed is intended to eliminate private or partial fix-ups that are not proven. A Sewage Treatment Plant and communal system will solve the problem 100%. Rod Baird—The three problems are: (1) sewage in Vienna ponding on the ground and entering the Otter Creek; (2) sewage in wells in Eden; (3) nitrates from septics and agriculture in Straffordville wells. Q. Ross Thurston—Not all septic systems are contaminating the creek. Why do all of us need to pay? A. Rod Baird—Not all septics in Vienna are faulty, not all wells are high in nitrates. Q. Wouldn't water be needed after sewers installed? Q. Valerie Donnell—Would this clean up the ecoli problem?Does the project guarantee a 100% cleanup of wells? A. Andy Valickis—Ecoli cleans up quickly, nitrates take longer. Once the source contaminant is removed, quality improves. Q. Allen Spicer—This is all politics. The STP in Port Burwell is operating at approximately 70%.,will there be any additional capacity left after expansion? A. Andy Valickis—The proposed expansion is based on Ministry guidelines and current population and there is estimated there will be about 33% available for growth. Q. Allen Spicer—When we experience storms there is overflow. What about that? A. Andy Valickis—The design uses the latest techniques. This is not to be a storm/sanitary sewer combination. Q. Bob Clement—People do not tend to be as concerned when it comes to health problems. Council, don't throw an 80% grant away. Q. Leo Pacquett—Is the decision to go ahead already made? A. Andy Valickis—No. Council must make a decision in the next few weeks. Return the comment sheets, whether in favour or against. COUNCIL MINUTES 31 JANUARY 27, 1999 6. Summary—Bob Vallee Bob Vallee thanked everyone for attending and participating in the question period. Everyone was reminded that additional comments in writing, both negative and positive must be submitted to the Municipal office by noon February 1, 1999. 7. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m. 1VIAYC CLERK Date approved: h