Arthur’s effluent holding ponds will be growing – in a good way.
Mayor Mike Broomhead said at a recent council meeting for Wellington North Township there was a resolution and a report from Public Works Manager Gary Williamson.
“It’s pretty good News,” Broomhead said.
Williamson said, “As council is aware, over the last several years we have been trying to address the sewage capacity issues in … Arthur. To date those efforts have been unsuccessful.”
Those efforts included meetings with MOE to extend the discharge period, in 2006 the township completed a stress test of the plant to confirm capacity, and since 2004 the municipality has also been monitoring the Conestogo River quality to give it a baseline to work from should the MOE agree to extend the discharge period.
However, Williamson added even if the township does get MOE approval to extend the discharge period from the Arthur facility, it will ultimately need additional effluent holding ponds to increase long term sewage capacity, and therefore future growth in Arthur.
“As of now, our current discharge period is Sept. 16 to April 30 annually, and virtually all available sewage capacity has been allocated to proposed developments within the village.” He said additional development is impossible at this time.
Mayor Mike Broomhead explained that there is capacity for developments already approved in the village. The hold would be on future development.
Williamson said knowing there was not a great amount of success in the municipal discussions with the MOE, the township worked to obtain land to expand the effluent holding pond site (a sewage lagoon).
“At this time, I am pleased to inform council that negotiations with the landowners have concluded with the agreement being presented to council.”
The property is roughly 20 acres in size. In 2009, council set $50,000 aside in its budget for such a purchase, and another $100,000 was allocated in 2010.
“This agreement will provide the opportunity for the township to construct additional effluent holding ponds to support future growth in Arthur.
“The property … is located beside the existing effluent ponds and should allow us to utilize the existing infrastructure connecting the current ponds to the sewage system.”
Williamson added, “Despite completing this purchase we are continuing to lobby MOE to support extending our discharge period, which would, in the short term, be the most practical solution for the township.”
Because the money was in reserve, “This is not going outside our budget,” Broomhead said.
Councillor Dan Yake said extending the discharge period would be the best way to go, but, “It hasn’t been that easy working with the MOE. We’re going to continue to lobby the provincial government and the MOE?on the discharge period based on the pilot program being developed with the township, the MOE and Triton Engineering – and see where it goes.”
Broomhead added that a letter is being sent to Perth-Wellington MPP John Wilkinson as part of its lobbying effort. The letter states Wellington North believes a conditional permit to extend the discharge period would be a practical approach to allow the municipality to prove it can deal with the additional flow.
Further, with continual sampling the water quality of the Conestogo River, compared to past samples, would show that it would not have an adverse effect on the river.
