The Town of Minto has been able to ease restrictions on development here, as a result of an intensive program to reduce inflow and infiltration into the local sewage system.
The town has been struggling with the infiltration problems with Palmerston’s aging sewage system for more than a decade. The community’s sewage plant annually experiences flow rates that exceed annual average capacity. Since 2004, the town has conducted numerous dye and smoke testing programs attempting to find the source of the problem, initially focusing on suspected inflow from residences and other buildings in town with sump pumps and other drainage systems connected directly to the storm or sanitary sewer systems.
However in 2012, the municipality began to focus on leaky manholes as a key source of inflow and infiltration and began to make progress.
With existing capacity allowing for only 42 infill and 88 new development lots at the time, council passed a bylaw in April 2011 limiting development in Palmerston. The bylaw required a resolution of council to allocate any of the town’s limited sewage capacity to development.
However a staff report presented at the Oct. 15 council meeting recommended amending the bylaw to reflect the improved situation.
The report, prepared by CAO Bill White, public works director Brian Hansen and chief building official Terry Kuipers recommends the available capacity for infill lots be increased from 42 to 61 and for development lots from 88 to 186.
The report also recommended sewage capacity be allocated “as directed by the chief building official in consultation with the public works director,” rather than by resolution of council. The amendment would require the department heads to report to council every six months on the number of sewage capacity units allocated and the remaining capacity.
In 2012 and 2013, the town spent over $300,000 per year lining manholes and pipes, redoing service connections and eliminating places where surface water was penetrating the sanitary sewer system.
The report notes the 247 units now available in Palmerston represents about 10 years of normal growth.
“At normal growth rates, this would leave the plant with at least 10 years capacity that can be increased as new inflow sources are corrected and water conservation encouraged,” the report states.
Hansen pointed out the efforts will continue to eliminate problems like unauthorized hook-ups.
“We’ve got to educate the people too,” noted Hansen.
While agreeing, “we have to keep our eye on the ball,” Mayor George Bridge said, “I think it’s all good News.”
