As published in The Erin Advocate
Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is suggesting that an Erin sewage treatment plant should discharge into the river well downstream of Tenth Line.
Solmar Development Corp. has tentatively purchased land at Tenth Line and Wellington Road 52 (Bush Street) for possible construction of a sewage treatment plant, based on previous studies that showed it as a good location.
No decision has been made about a Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), but residents in the area are very concerned about potential odours and devaluation of their properties.
The Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) suggests a location with maximum water flow between Tenth Line and Winston Churchill Boulevard. An Assimilative Capacity Study (ACS) is measuring the existing chemistry of the West Credit and its ability to accept sewage effluent without harming the environment.
The public does not have the ACS, which when finalized will form part of the SSMP, but the CVC comments on the draft ACS are public.
"CVC agrees with the recommendation presented in the ACS of locating the WWTP discharge point closer to Winston Churchill Boulevard as the Assimilative Capacity of the water course is higher here than further upstream by Tenth Line," said CVC Water Resources Specialist Luke Reed, in an April 17 letter to Matt Pearson of BM Ross. The full letter is available at www.erin.ca as part of the May 7 agenda.
"Background water quality chemistry varies between Tenth Line and Winston Churchill Boulevard. These differences should be acknowledged as it will have implications when choosing an exact location for the WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) discharge point," said Reed.
"Water quality records indicate higher contaminant concentrations at Tenth Line compared to those found at Winston Churchill. Tenth Line water quality measures should be incorporated into the ACS if the WWTP discharge point is to be proposed further upstream, as effluent targets and environmental impacts may be affected."
CVC Deputy CAO John Kinkead confirmed this while speaking to council last week about the possible location.
"The further down the West Credit you go, the additional flows that you pick up, that allows you that much additional assimilative capacity. At the end of the day, we're saying, nowhere upstream of the Tenth Line, but the possibility of somewhere downstream of Tenth Line."
