$5 garbage bag surcharge would improve waste habits

On the bulletin board by my desk, I’ve just posted the Garbage, Recycling and Programme Information Calendar from Wellington County Solid Waste Services.

Having grown tired of calendars with cute animals, race cars and scenic outhouses, I can now gaze upon images of garbage trucks, swamplands being preserved, composting in action, pre-paid yellow garbage bags and employees doing their jobs with enthusiasm.

County staff appear to have good reason to be cheery, since their Human Resources Department recently won an “Oscar” in its profession. At a prestigious gala, Wellington was the winner of the Best Health and Wellness Strategy award from KPMG.

Initiatives have included tree planting, a ping-pong tournament, hockey and soccer teams that challenge other municipalities, fitness events, lunch time education on personal health, a Wellness Fair, mental health training and retirement readiness workshops.

I am always happy to read about my tax dollars being put to good use, but I would be just as glad to read the news in black and white, rather than in expensive colour publications and advertising.

The County has been politically and environmentally correct by printing their 36-page calendar booklet on 100% post consumer paper fibre. In the spirit of waste reduction, however, I suggest that the booklet is a luxury that most taxpayers would prefer to do without.

When I want to download the waste calendar, or read about what is allowed in my blue box, I will go to www.wellington.ca. When I want to learn how to keep re-usable materials out of the waste stream, I will go to the Recyclopedia page at www.wellington.reuses.com.

To be notified about a change in my garbage collection day, I’d rather sign up for an email or text message service.

Also, to promote frugality and waste reduction, I propose that the price of large yellow garbage bags be raised by $5, from $1.75 to $6.75 – on one condition.

A portion of the revenue would be used to cover the actual costs of collecting garbage and recyclables, but all of the excess money would be returned as an annual equal payment to each household in the pick-up areas.

By raising the price and providing an equal payback to each household, Solid Waste Services would expand a key benefit of the user pay system, as outlined in their calendar:

“It encourages diversion. The more residents reduce, reuse, recycle and compost, the fewer garbage bags they need to buy. It gives residents some control over how much they want to spend on their garbage each week.”

With a $5 surcharge per bag, it would cost $27 to put out four large bags. With pickup every two weeks, that would total $702 per year. The annual rebate would certainly be less than that.

A household that put out one bag every two weeks would pay only $175.50 a year, and could expect a rebate that would be higher than that – unless everyone cut back to one bag.

It would be a bit like the Carbon Fee and Dividend system that has been proposed to reduce gasoline consumption. You actually pay people to change their wasteful ways.

Of course, if we all become super waste reducers, garbage bag revenues will decline – and it is still going to cost about the same to drive garbage trucks up and down the roads. Maybe then we can switch to once a month rural pick-up, and urban folks can learn how to get by with pick-up every two weeks.

Council supports call for Clean Soil Act

As published in The Erin Advocate

The difficulty of regulating the disposal of excess soil from construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area has Erin Town Council supporting a call for the province to enact a Clean Soil Act.

While municipalities and conservation authorities have responsibility for the actual dumping of soil on rural lands, it is difficult to control without provincial regulations to ensure that the fill is not contaminated, that the activity does not cause excessive disruption to rural residents and that the businesses involved pay the full costs of regulation, enforcement and road damage.

Anna Spiteri of Citizens Against Fill Dumping appeared as a delegation to council Nov. 25, and they voted in favour of a resolution she proposed, asking the provincial government to “develop a comprehensive strategy to regulate fill”, including new legislation to assist municipalities.

“Fill dumping is an ever-increasing problem in Ontario,” said Spiteri. “We all know that ultimately the provincial government must take leadership in dealing with it.”

She thanked council for setting up a committee that is working on a new Site Alteration Bylaw, and Councillor Deb Callaghan for chairing that committee.

Councillor John Brennan spoke in favour of the resolution, saying the Good Roads Association has an interest in the issue. “A lot of other communities like us are finding a heavy toll being taken on our roads,” he said.

The resolution says that the provincial policy of intensifying development within urban areas, to reduce the sprawl of development into farmlands, has created the fill problem. It urges the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to work with conservation authorities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and other provincial ministries to deal with compromised soil. The MOE has already been reviewing provincial policy on this issue.

The citizen group wanted support from its home council before meeting this week with MPP Ted Arnott and Environmental Commissioner of Ontario Gord Miller, who reports on the government’s compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights.

The new Erin Council will be asked to confirm its agreement with the effort, and support will be sought from Wellington County, other municipalities, and groups such as AMO, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) and the Greater Toronto Countryside Mayors’ Alliance.

The soil issue has attracted considerable media attention recently, with other citizen groups demanding provincial action and the Toronto Star investigating irregularities in the disposal of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of soil from the Pan Am Athletes’ Village project.

Environment Minister Glen Murray told The Star in October that better controls are needed to deal with what he termed a “serious issue” that for him is at the “top of environmental and economic concerns” in Ontario.

Tree planting, clean-up and hazardous waste

As published in The Erin Advocate

The first Saturday of May will once again be a busy one, with the annual Clean-Up Day, a Community Tree Planting and the Household Hazardous Waste drop-off happening at the same time.

Anyone interested in helping with the Clean-Up on May 3 should come to the lower parking lot of Centre 2000 anytime between 8:30 am and noon.

“Come on out and meet people,” said David Lyver, a member of the Town’s Environmental Advisory Committee who has been involved in the project for ten years. Groups or individuals can participate, and Lyver is looking for suggestions on which areas could be targeted for clean-up – email: david.lyver@gmail.com.

Participants can pick up clear garbage bags at Centre 2000, go to a clean-up area and work as long as they want, then leave the bags at the side of the road to be picked up. High school students can earn community service hours if they wish.

In the upper parking lot of Centre 2000, Wellington County staff will be set up to process loads of household hazardous waste, including many items not normally accepted at waste transfer stations, on May 3 from 8 am to 2 pm.

At no charge, residents can dispose of paints, cleaners, acids, adhesives, pesticides, garden chemicals, household and automotive batteries, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, mercury thermometers and thermostats, medications, automotive fluids, fire extinguishers, propane cylinders and medical sharps (properly packaged). More details are available at www.wellington.ca.

Also on May 3, starting at 9 am, the Erin Trails group, in cooperation with Credit Valley Conservation, invites community members to participate in a tree planting project.

It will take place in the Deer Pit, next to the Elora Cataract Trailway behind Centre 2000. Training will be provided, as well as some shovels, but people are encouraged to bring their own shovels. It is also suitable for community service hours.

Residents don’t want to own Pidel storm pond

As published in The Erin Advocate

Town staff will investigate and look for ways to assist a group of Ospringe residents who feel trapped by owning a share of the storm water pond at the Pidel subdivision.

“We do not want to own sewage works,” said resident George Rigas at the March 18 council meeting, contending the current situation is a mistake and that the Town should “correct the ownership”.

Residents are feeling “handcuffed” if they wish to sell their homes, since potential buyers are not likely to want part ownership of a storm pond, said Rigas, noting that failing to disclose the pond ownership could expose a seller to legal action.

In a written submission, he said the recent discovery of their dilemma had caused “angst and frustration” among homeowners, with 34 of them providing feedback and wanting the Town to correct the situation, and no one expressing interest in owning the pond.

“You’re asking us to perish in these homes,” he told council. “The Town is the rightful owner.”

If the Town takes no action, he suggests it could compromise new development by sending “an unwelcoming message to current and future residents, confusing responsibility, imposing burden and peril, and violating the rights of its taxpayers.”

Councillors want to see the legal opinion that the Town received 10 years ago on the issue, and have staff present them with a selection of options. CAO Kathryn Ironmonger said it could take a couple of months.

“Until such time as this mistake is corrected, the homeowners will hold the Town of Erin responsible for any future liability,” said Rigas.

The issue has arisen now because the Town is about to assume ownership of the roads and other public infrastructure such as the storm water drains, since the builder has completed its required work. 

Pidel sent a letter to residents last November, saying the company would take no responsibility for liability, taxes or maintenance of the pond property after January 1, and that the residents are required, according to their agreements, to form a corporation to deal with the parcel.

The Town has not promised to take ownership of the pond property. It does have an easement that allows it to go onto the property and do any required work, so in effect the Town owns the storm water control function, without owning the land itself. Rigas argues it is one entity, and that it is improper for private citizens to have any ownership of public infrastructure.

“Additional liability exposure would be created if the Town of Erin were to assume ownership,” said Road Superintendent Larry Van Wyck.

Mayor Lou Maieron said council needs to understand the costs of assuming ownership and consider whether it is fair for them to covered by the Town.

During planning of the development, which is also known as Madison Lake Estates and Berkeley Estates, the Town decided it did not want to have ownership of the huge central pond because of liability concerns. The pond is part of a stream that drains the area into the Eramosa River.

Van Wyck said that since the Grand River Conservation Authority also did not want to own that parcel of land, Pidel sold it to residents as they bought homes there, in 43 equal shares.

“This mess was not created by the Town,” said Councillor John Brennan. “The developer dumped it on the people who bought the houses.”

Construction of the storm water facility, including enlargement of the existing pond, was approved by the Ministry of the Environment. The shared ownership is outlined in the subdivision agreement with the Town, and the residents’ contracts with Pidel.

Rigas said the lake was part of the marketing of the subdivision, and that residents were not fully aware of what they were buying.

“We knew we were owning part of a lake, but not a sewage works,” he said. 

Pidel Homes President Carm Piccoli was contacted about the situation, but was not available to comment. 

Hillsburgh could be left out in sewer plan

As published in The Erin Advocate

The Town of Erin will be restricted to 6,000 residents on sewers, after a review of data on the West Credit River’s ability to safely absorb the discharge from a sewage treatment plant.

The long-awaited number, set by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), was announced at a public Town Council workshop last week. It could permanently limit total growth in Erin village and Hillsburgh to as few as 500 new homes.

Councillors are now being asked to narrow down their choices about which options should get detailed financial study in the last phase of the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) – including the possibility that Erin village will get servicing and Hillsburgh will not.

The option of servicing existing homes in both villages is also likely to be studied, but council is also being asked to decide very soon whether both villages will get a share of future housing growth. 

The option of giving most of the sewage allocation to developers, while leaving all existing homes on private septic systems, has been strongly discouraged by SSMP Consultant Matt Pearson of BM Ross.

The options for investigation could be chosen at the April 1 council meeting next week, as part of a schedule to complete the SSMP before this fall’s municipal election. Mayor Lou Maieron suggested there too many unknown factors to make any choices among options.

“Where do we get the basis of information to make an intelligent decision?” he asked.

Analysis of specific options by Watson & Associates will lay out the detailed costs for urban homeowners, which would become part of a combined water and sewer bill when they actually get service. In addition to a monthly fee, the bill will include the costs of construction, individual hook-up and debt interest, possibly spread over 30 years. Rural residents will not get service, and will not have to pay a share of the construction and interest charges. 

The 6,000 number is low compared to earlier estimates ranging from 6,500 to 13,500, and could dramatically restrict new housing development. CVC Deputy CAO John Kinkead warned council last May that the number would be near the low end. It was set after additional study of the river, with low flow measurements reduced an extra 10% to allow for the harmful effects of climate change and land use changes.

The number of existing urban residents has been set at 4,500 (1,400 in Hillsburgh and 3,100 in Erin village), leaving only 1,500 for new residents. At the accepted ratio of 2.83 residents per household, that would mean only 530 new homes, total for Hiillsburgh and Erin village – but only if all existing residents also get sewer service. The number could range from 500 to 600 based on housing styles.

The population cap is intended to be permanent, since the Assimilative Capacity (AC) of the river is not expected to rise, but it only applies to sewered homes. If it was decided that Hillsburgh would never get sewers, not only would the village get virtually no development, but the sewage allocation of the 1,400 Hillsburgh residents could then be given to developers to build about 500 additional homes in Erin village.

That would mean a total of 1,030 new homes, almost the number being requested now by Solmar Developments, though the number is meant to include infilling, the process of adding small numbers of new homes or apartments in existing neighbourhoods.

Dale Murray of Triton Engineering told council last week that they should be considering whether they want to reserve sewage capacity for future use, if there are no plans to use it in the early stages of the process. Pearson said, “You can’t sit on 4,500 capacity forever.”

BM Ross has also outlined other options such as piping the sewage to another municipality, which is considered very expensive. There is also the possibility of servicing Hillsburgh, but not Erin village, which is considered unlikely.

Gary Cousins, Director of Planning and Development at Wellington County, told councillors that no large-scale housing developments will be approved using septic systems.

Roy Val of Transition Erin recently organized a workshop on alternative sewer methods, including Small Bore Systems (SBS), which use septic tanks at individual homes. The effluent is sent to a smaller treatment plant through narrow pipes that do not require the road to be dug up. 

He believes both Erin village and Hillsburgh are entitled to service, and contends that SBS is not just a technology issue to be studied later, but a concept that should be cost-analyzed now, since it could change the feasibility of the entire venture.

Kinkead said new technologies would have little impact on the 6,000 limit, and that the MOE is unlikely to approve any technology that does not have a proven track record in Ontario.

If all existing residents (4,500) kept their septic systems, and all the sewage allocation was given to developers (6,000), that would add up to an urban population of 10,500. Combined with the rural population of about 7,000, that would put the entire Town of Erin at 17,500 in 20-30 years.

If not for the restrictions imposed by the river, existing lands in the two villages could support an extra 24,000 people.

Pearson also favours servicing both existing communities. He said leaving a community unserviced would cause it to decline, with businesses and community services drawn away from the core, restricted ability to redevelop vacant buildings, and no resolution to problems such as aging septic beds and holding tanks, and lack of housing for young couples and seniors.

“Servicing one community creates inequalities,” he said. “Investment in properties will decline.”

Councillor Barb Tocher said, “You’ll get two classes of people.”

Pearson has suggested the best route for a pipe to move sewage from Hillsburgh to Erin village is the Elora Cataract Trailway, estimating it could cost $2 million.

There has been discussion of a possible treatment plant at Tenth Line and Wellington Road 52 (Bush Street). CVC said last year that the ideal discharge point is further downstream near Winston Churchill Boulevard, where the river has greater capacity.

The review of costs is scheduled for a public Town Council workshop in May, followed by a choice of one of the options. Council would review a draft SSMP report that would be presented at a public meeting in July. After final revisions, council could vote on August 5 to approve the SSMP, clearing the way for environmental studies of which technologies could be used for a sewer system.

“It’s an expensive proposition no matter what gets built,” said Pearson, who believes Erin has a good chance of getting senior government grants to offset costs. He said if there is substantial housing growth, there could be extra costs for a water tower in Hillsburgh, and a second one in Erin.

He reminded council that if residents had to replace all their aging septic systems, it would cost millions of dollars without any government grants or the option to spread costs over 30 years. He said the cost of a high-end septic system required for small properties is now about $40,000.

Reorganization pitched for Recreation

As published in The Erin Advocate

A plan to trim costs while providing better service in the Town of Erin Recreation Department was to be presented to councillors this week, as part of the 2014 budget.

CAO Kathryn Ironmonger had asked Facility Managers Graham Smith in Erin and John Cunningham in Hillsburgh to come up with ways to improve operations.

The proposal includes having Town staff take over grass-cutting and maintenance at parks and playgrounds, with twice a week garbage pickup that could include the street bins in both Hillsburgh and Erin.

There would be a penalty to cancel current contracted-out services, and a capital cost for a landscape trailer and lawn equipment. 

“We will utilize the staff we currently have and work on staff scheduling to lessen the financial impact of wages to take on the extra duties,” the report says. “Our main goal is to improve service and facility levels and decrease complaints.”

Other plans include improvements to soccer fields, ball diamonds and other grounds, beyond the normal day-to-day operations.

They will be cross-training staff to work in different areas as needed, including other Town departments, to cut overtime costs.

The first draft of the Recreation Budget being presented this week shows staff costs rising 4.2% to $714,000. But lower costs in other areas, especially for Supplies, Materials and Equipment, would mean operating expenditures totalling $1.5 million, a reduction of 1.92% from last year.

Recreation revenues are expected to drop by $75,000 (8.7%) to $789,000, which means net operating costs would rise by 6.8%. When combined with an increase in capital expenditures, the overall department budget would be up 9.8%.

Smaller Re-Use Centre pitched for office area

As published in The Erin Advocate

The idea of a store for donated re-usable goods at the old Hydro building on Shamrock Road has been pitched again to Town Council, but this time requesting to use only the office space that is currently unrented.

“It’s not going to cost the Town any money, and on top of that we’re going to give money back to the community,” said Nyola Holliday, on behalf of a citizen committee that has been looking for a way to set up a Re-Use Centre.

They are asking that since the Town has not been successful in renting out that space (previously used by ARC Industries), that they be allowed to use it rent-free for nine months to see if the volunteer-based venture will work.

The previous proposal for a Re-Use Centre there involved use of the whole building, including large bay areas used by the Water Department. The new proposal would not require the water operations to move, and store inventory would be limited to items small enough to fit through a regular door.

“We want to run this on a shoestring,” said Holliday. She said it will be a valuable service for Town residents, but very inexpensive compared to various Town recreation and culture investments.

In addition to the rent, she also asked that the Town cover their liability insurance. They are hoping to get approval early in 2014. Councillor Jose Wintersinger asked them to come back with a more detailed business plan, and an indication of how many volunteers are willing to be involved.

Both the County (which has responsibility for waste) and the Town had previously offered approval in principle.

Patrick Suessmuth, who started the Erin Freecycle website, spoke in favour of the initiative. Freecycle is a network of 5,119 groups enabling goods to be offered and taken for free, through www.freecycle.org. They have 6.7 million members worldwide, and almost 700 locally.

“It shows a tremendous amount of interest in recycling,” he said.

The new store would take donations, but then raise money by selling the items, similar to the much larger Wastewise operation in Georgetown. Wellington County offers a different type of Re-use Centre at its Belwood Waste Transfer Station, where people pay a small fee to drop off goods, but they can be taken for free.

The Erin plan is to use sales revenues to start paying rent after nine months, but also to allow local non-profit groups to apply for grants to support their work. East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) has been involved in helping with this project, but the grants would be available to any group.

The store would not sell clothing or books, to avoid competing directly with stores operated by EWCS.

Council says planner has no conflict on fill

As published in The Erin Advocate

Town Council gave Planner Sally Stull a vote of confidence last week, saying she has no conflict of interest in working on a review of Erin’s fill bylaw.

The issue arose because of allegations made in a letter from Dr. Marieke Wevers, a critic of current fill practices, published in the September 17 Erin council agenda.

In addition to concerns about trucking, possible contamination and lack of consultation about various sites, including riding arenas on Third Line, she alleged that Stull had a conflict of interest because of involvement in a fill project in Halton Hills.

After meeting in closed session last week, Erin councillors released the following statement without any discussion: “With regards to the allegations made in correspondence, Council is satisfied that the Town Planner has no conflict or pecuniary interest in regards to the Town of Erin Fill By-Law.”

The Town recently issued a cease and desist order for the Third Line project, and council agreed to a staff review of the bylaw after hearing protests from residents.

Stull said that she wanted a statement from council before working on the review. While she and her husband had been trucking in fill to a pit on their farm north of Georgetown, she said her work for the Town of Erin could not bring her any personal advantage.

Wever’s letter was one of many in the storm of controversy that has erupted over what some residents consider a weak and poorly enforced fill bylaw, and the fact that substantial filling was allowed on the Third Line outside the bylaw, under the terms of a building permit.

“I have also expressed grave concern that our Town Planner Sally Stull remains the permit issuer and supervisor of these sites,” said Wever’s letter, suggesting that Stull is biased on this issue. “A large number of citizens have indicated that they have made complaints to Ms Stull about these fill sites and similar to my experience their concerns have been abruptly dismissed.”

The Independent & Free Press newspaper has written about the Stulls’ use of land as an aggregate transfer station, their plan to restore a pit to agricultural use, and their bitter dispute with neighbours and the Town of Halton Hills.

In May this year, they reported on a Site Alteration Committee hearing, saying that in 2012 the Stulls were importing fill, “despite the protest of frustrated neighbours and in contravention of the Site Alteration Bylaw, forcing the Town to issue a cease and desist order in August after a staff investigation.

“The trucks continued until the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered at a hearing on Nov. 29, 2012, ‘there be no further importation of fill (or any other material) to the subject property pending the return of this application or further order of this Court, or the granting of a variance, amendment or exception to the Site Alteration Bylaw.’

“Only then did the Stulls’ company 1244002 Ontario Inc. apply for a variance to the Site Alteration Committee in December 2012.”

About 40 opponents attended the hearing, bringing a 138-signature petition and complaining about heavy trucks, noise, fumes and possible contamination of drinking water. The committee turned down the pit plan.

Sally Stull appeared at an appeal hearing in August, saying Halton Hills councillors and staff had not provided reasons for denying the application.

According to the minutes, she said the committee decision “was not made as per the requirements of the by-law but rather by public input on the matter”.

“Stull stated that the use of illegal fill has not been proven, that the haul route used has not changed in 20 years, and that residents knowingly bought their homes in close proximity of an aggregate transfer station. Activities at the Pit are in keeping with all levels of government, and Council cannot obstruct, ignore and deny activities like this...the use provides for employment and is an appropriate use for fill.”

The appeal was denied.

Council receives Solmar plan despite warnings

As published in The Erin Advocate

Faced with the certainty of an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) if they refused, Town council voted last week to deem the subdivision applications from Solmar Development Corp. as "complete".

The resolution was passed unanimously without any public debate or questions from councillors, after they returned from a 70-minute closed-door session with their lawyer, during Tuesday's council meeting.

The decision overrides the objections of Town Planner Sally Stull, who told council the applications were incomplete and premature, since it is not possible to have definite information about sewers while the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) is still in progress.

Stull said she has not had time to fully evaluate the material and that further study is needed on a traffic bypass route. She reminded council that other developments have been on hold for several years, and that the Solmar plan exceeds Official Plan population targets by more than 700 homes.

"It would essentially eliminate anyone else from participating, unless they were within the current Erin village, which is of course stymied by the problem that it doesn't have servicing," she said.

In a separate report to council, Water Superintendent Frank Smedley outlines a broad series of concerns, including the need for new wells, lack of staff expertise with sewers, and the potential for settlement of basements and roads due to poor soil drainage conditions.

"The SSMP should be completed as soon as possible," he said. "This will allow Council to give clear direction to the developer and staff.

"This is our opportunity to work with a developer to reduce the cost of servicing the urban areas with municipal sewage, if this is the path Council chooses."

Last week's resolution has three additional points: Despite the "complete" status, approval of the applications would be premature until the SSMP is complete and council has time to assess its implications and consider a course of action; council is not satisfied with the level of detail in the documentation; and the legally-required public meeting is considered premature until the SSMP recommendations are available.

Wellington County is eager to have Erin accept its share of regional population growth. Gary Cousins, Wellington's Director of Planning and Development, has notified the Town that the County considers Solmar's applications "complete". He also said approval must wait for the SSMP, and his exact words on this issue were used in Erin's resolution.

Council's vote does not approve the 1,240-home proposal, but simply starts the formal application process, with input from the public, Town staff and outside agencies.

Stull said the project would make Erinville Drive a major collector road, and that the proposal includes 570 single detached dwellings, 472 semi-detached, 48 townhouse units and 150 apartment-type units.

"These applications provide tremendous benefits to the community, strong job creation, strong housing options," said Solmar Planner Maurizio Rogato, who appeared as a delegation to voice disagreement with Stull's report to council.

"We're not looking for a decision on the actual applications themselves, we're simply looking to state that the applications have been completed, and they can be circulated, which allows dialogue to take place."

When the applications came to council in October, Mayor Lou Maieron suggested a Social Impact Study, since Solmar could eventually more than double the number of homes in the village. Transition Erin, a citizen group that is responding to the Solmar plan, also wants such a study, and possibly a "Health Impact Assessment".

They are "looking forward to the remaining components of the Solmar application being released to the public so that we can study them." Information on the group is available at Aanimad.com/transition.

James Kennedy of KLM Planning, working for Solmar, said all of the required information has been submitted, and that council can still meet its objective of not approving any new subdivision until the SSMP is completed and approved. That could be in February or March.

Solmar says the studies they have already done (some already available on the Town web site), supporting their applications for a draft plan of subdivision, and zoning and Official Plan amendments, will "inform" the SSMP process. Stull says the Solmar proposal "distracts" from the SSMP.

"There is no question about how these lands will be serviced," said Kennedy, noting that the province requires sewers for this scale of development. Solmar may be able to proceed with its own sewers, even if the Town decides against them for the existing village.

"You are a long way from the stage where major development is permitted. I can see no reason not to get started in this process," he said. "The SSMP will define the big picture, and the details relative to these applications will follow.

"Should council deem these applications incomplete, Solmar will appeal this decision to the Ontario Municipal Board. We would prefer not to be forced to take this approach. We don't really need to start off this process on that basis.

"If and when this development does proceed, it will generate millions of dollars in revenue for the Town, as well as a new fully-serviced business park attracting jobs to Erin."

Deeming the applications complete starts the clock on a legal 180-day period during which the Town theoretically would have to decide whether to approve the project. Rogato said that in practice, it often takes much longer.

"If things are moving, things are working cooperatively and we're reviewing reports, we want to be there as a willing partner," he said.

 But, after 180 days, if the developer feels that sufficient progress is not being made, Rogato said they have the right to force the issue by appealing to the OMB – an expensive process for both sides. Of course, if the applications are ultimately denied, that could also be appealed to the OMB.

After Solmar's presentation, Maeiron commented on a possible sewer plan for the existing village.

"We can approve it in principle, but where's the money coming from?" he said. "Because for 160 years, or for forever, this municipality has done nothing with respect to bringing the servicing up to today's standards."

He said it would not be realistic to have two sewage treatment plants, and noted that if Solmar builds its own expandable plant, the town could feed into it in the future.

"I'm not trying to side with the proponent, but working concurrently to bring in our needs, if we decide that we need servicing to today's municipal standards, with an incoming plant, sort of tends to make some sense to me," he said.

EDHS an Eco-School thanks to student efforts

As published in The Erin Advocate

Erin District High School has earned its first EcoSchool certification, thanks to the efforts of students in the Environmental Club.

The EcoSchools Program is part of an Ontario-wide initiative to save energy in the operation of schools, develop broad ecological literacy and encourage students to take leadership roles.

Students did an audit to see if lights, computers and televisions were being left on unnecessarily, and if waste handling could be improved. There’s a core group of about seven students in the club, plus others who help with various activities, under the direction of teacher Ross Watson.

After the initial assessment, they urged teachers and students to change their habits. Reminder stickers were placed on light switches and a pizza party was offered for the class that reduced energy use the most.

Ross Watson, Rachel Plant and Jake McEvoy

“Over the lunch hour, we had significant improvement - especially in the gym,” said Jake McEvoy.

After completing the program, the school’s score of 69.25 earned an EcoSchool certificate at the Silver level. They will be shooting for the Gold level next year.

“We’d like to have a garden, with herbs and spices, and fruits and veggies for the cafeteria,” said Rachel Plant. They would like to support that garden with a large composter, which can be turned to mix food scraps from the cafeteria.

A filling station for re-usable water bottles would promote the drinking of filtered tap water instead of commercially-bottled water.

Other related activities have included community work - cleaning up garbage and planting trees. They did not score well for recycling, saying there are not enough bins in the cafeteria. There were also announcements with environmental tips, such as how to avoid wasteful Christmas gift wrapping.

The EcoSchool effort helps encourage best practices throughout the school system, and align school operations with what is taught in the classroom.

The current curriculum also allows students to major in specialties such as environmental studies by taking certain credits in Science and Geography, as well as completing a co-op work placement.

McEvoy and Plant are taking a course entitled Environmental Resource Management, and both are graduating this year.

He is planning to study Environmental Technology at Georgian College, and hopes to get a job related to waterways. She is planning on taking additional high school courses, then the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College, and hopes to work in wildlife rehabilitation.

Nestlé defends bottled water at Open House

As published in The Erin Advocate

After applying for a 10-year renewal of its well permit and buying the Morette's Furniture factory property as a buffer zone to protect the quality of its product, Nestlé Waters defended its bottled water operations during an open house at the Hillsburgh Community Centre last week.

Ontario's system of well permits is also being challenged in an application to the Environmental Commissioner.

Mike Nagy, Chair of Wellington Water Watchers, and Maude Barlow, Chair of the Council of Canadians, claim that the Permit To Take Water (PTTW) process fails to conform to Ontario's Statement of Environmental Values.

"Public input is not being given adequate weighting in the permit decision process," they said, in their request for a review of the system, pointing out that related impacts such as pollution from trucking and plastic waste are not evaluated. "Additionally, the PTTW process does not consider the negative impacts of climate change on ground water recharge."

John Challinor, Director of Corporate Affairs for Nestlé Waters Canada, said that current regulation by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) does ensure the public is "adequately protected" and that he is not concerned about the challenge.

"I don't think it's going to have any impact," he said at the open house.

The company is permitted to extract up to 1.1 million litres per day in Hillsburgh, but the average is about 25 per cent of that. There are peak periods with a higher pumping rate, especially in the summer when there is more demand for bottled water, said Challinor.

Liz Armstrong of the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) said the seven days' notice for the open house was insufficient, and that a well-advertised public meeting is needed for people to hear a presentation and ask questions. There was no opportunity for The Advocate to notify the broader community, and town councillors were busy with a regular meeting on the same night.

The company is under no obligation to hold such an event, and Challinor said there will be no immediate follow-up. While anyone was welcome to attend, the open house was not intended as a full public meeting. About 100 invitations were delivered to "neighbours" with wells that draw from the same part of the aquifer.

Challinor said the open house was scheduled as soon as possible after Nestlé submitted its application for a permit renewal, and the Town was notified.

"It is not a municipal matter," he said. Next month, Nestlé will meet with the Town, the conservation authorities and the Environment and Natural Resources Ministries to share data, answer questions and discuss issues.

Nestlé is the world's largest multinational food and bottled water corporation, and last year was listed in the Fortune Global 500 as the world's most profitable corporation. Its bottled water sales total about $10 billion and its water-taking has sparked controversy in several countries.

Tonight (Wednesday) at the Erin Legion, at 7 pm, there will be a showing of the film Bottled Life – The Truth About Nestlé's Business With Water, a recent documentary highly critical of the company. Admission is free, with donations appreciated.

The local Nestlé well property is located just west of Hillsburgh and the Credit River, between 22 Sideroad and Station Road. The well itself is 128 feet deep, located in the northwest section near Station Road and the Sixth Line. Tanker truck access is on the southeast side. The Hillsburgh water is shipped to Aberfoyle, south of Guelph, where Nestlé has another well and a bottling plant.

As a condition of its permit, Nestlé is responsible to the MOE to monitor and report water levels on the surface and underground. A network of monitor wells, including sensors installed in the wells of local property owners, measures the impact of the operation. In addition to water quantity, the quality is tested for possible contaminants, and the data is shared with the property owners at no charge.

"Our testing is more sophisticated than the municipality's," said Challinor.

Nestlé is nearing the end of a five-year permit for Hillsburgh. The public will be able to make comments on the renewal through the Ontario government's Environmental Bill of Rights Registry at www.ebr.gov.on.ca. The government's responses to objections made in 2007 can also be read on the site. People can email Environment Minister Jim Bradley at: minister.moe@ontario.ca.

While Nestlé was obliged to increase monitoring of water levels, the ministry found in 2007 that the data had shown the well to have "no significant impact" on groundwater. Credit Valley Conservation and the Town of Erin said they have seen no impact on surface water, while staff with the ministry and Grand River Conservation found the surface data inconclusive.

Nestlé is also obliged to deal with potential conflict between their well and the two municipal wells in Hillsburgh. Based on maps released recently for local Source Protection Areas, the zones of influence for the wells appear to be separate.

"It's a common resource," said Tom Roberts of Erin, at the open house. "We should be getting something for it. It's being used for profit by a big company."

Nestlé pays the province $3.71 for each million litres taken, and makes contributions of at least $10,000 per year to Town of Erin projects such as McMillan Park and the planned Skatepark.

Challinor pointed out that most businesses don't have to pay any special fee for the water used in their products. He said the provincial fee might not be appropriate, but wouldn't say if it is too high or too low. "We are willing to pay for the research to set a proper fee," he said.

"I'm not happy with the taking of water," said Town Councillor Jose Wintersinger, in a public discussion of the issue the following evening, at the Fast Forward Film Festival. "But it is a provincial issue, and we as councillors don't have any more influence than you do. However, it doesn't mean that we as council can't band with you and help you as the process unfolds.

"If everybody stopped drinking bottled water, we'd have them under control, since there would be no market."

Nestlé plans to demolish the Morette's furniture factory on the nearby land it bought last month. It is a cement structure originally used for potato storage, built next to the old CPR rail line by grist mill operator John Awrey. In 1958 it was converted to a furniture factory by Bruce Morette.

The company will eventually host a meeting for people to discuss ideas about what could be done with the Morette's property. It is not intended for a back-up well the company has been considering. The land will be returned to a natural state as a "permanent buffer" to protect the main well.

"We were concerned about residential development and septic systems," said Challinor. The company planted 2,500 pine trees on the property last week, and is considering ideas such as a community garden, a playground and a trail loop connected to the nearby Elora-Cataract Trailway.

Cynthia Canavan lives in the area directly influenced by the Nestlé well, but says she has not noticed any impact on her well.

"It does worry me, but based on their numbers, the water levels seem to be consistent," she said. "They seem to have it under control."

A well protection agreement between Nestlé and Erin is designed to provide rapid response to any complaints by well owners. The firm promises to pay for scientific evaluation and to fix or replace any well that fails because of their water taking. They also promise to cut back or stop production during drought conditions, if they decide it is necessary.

Part of the Nestlé property is farmed, but as a precaution for the groundwater, only organic methods are used. There is water close to the surface in the area, but beneath it is a layer of till about seven metres thick – an almost impervious barrier of clay and silt that helps protect the deeper aquifer where the water is drawn.

Environmental groups often point out that the pumping of oil is heavily taxed, while the taking of water is not. Challinor said this is not a valid comparison.

"Unlike oil, water is a renewable resource," he said. "Our pumping can't permanently impact the aquifer."

In a press release, critics of the Nestlé well said any permit to bottle water represents a net loss to the environment and health of the planet, and is an unnecessary and wasteful use of what they consider a finite resource.

"There are also issues with huge tanker trucks hauling water 24/7 along our sideroads and highways, including noise, dust, diesel pollution and road wear-and-tear," said Christopher Green, of the newly-formed Friends of Hillsburgh Water. With environmental activists from CCAGE and Wellington Water Watchers, they are campaigning to stop or severely restrict the Nestlé permit and to promote the use of tap water.

Challinor said about 70 per cent of consumers drink both tap water and bottled water, and that bottled water is only a small portion of the beverage marketplace. He argued that his industry's impact on the environment is relatively low.

"Tap water has a lower carbon footprint, but we don't compete with tap water," he said. "People are not leaving tap water to drink bottled water."

Critics point to the use of scarce fossil fuels to make the water bottles; and despite a relatively good recycling rate of 62 per cent, millions of them end up in landfill sites every year. Challinor said Nestlé has the lightest-weight bottles in the industry, to use the minimum amount of plastic.

"We have the highest recycling rate of anything in the grocery store, but we're not going to pat ourselves on the back – there's a lot more we can do," said Challinor. "I believe we can get to 90 per cent, and we are driving that change."

Clean Air Alliance promotes sensible energy plan

As published in The Erin Advocate

Ontario's energy system always seems like a shell game designed to confuse the average,  income tax-paying, air-breathing Hydro customer. It is a never-ending strategy of subsidies and rebates designed to mask the true cost of electricity.

If we still owe billions of dollars in interest payments for nuclear reactors that are worn out, and still don't know what to do with the radioactive waste, does it make sense to borrow billions more to build new reactors?

Does it make sense to import coal from the US, and then, because we have excess generation, turn around and sell coal-generated power back to the US? Ontario has promised to close its coal-fired facilities by 2014, but the plants continue to spew air pollutants and toxins, along with carbon dioxide that is helping accelerate the harmful effects of climate change.

"We are the only jurisdiction in the planet that is phasing out coal for environmental and health reasons," said Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director for the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, speaking at the Fast Forward Film Festival in March. The Climate Change Action Committee of Erin presented The Last Mountain, a film about the fight to stop the removal of Appalachian mountain tops for their coal.

Ontario gets some of its coal from that region to fuel electricity generation plants. Bischoff said only three per cent of Ontario's electricity comes from coal, down from 25 per cent just seven years ago, and that coal could be eliminated ahead of schedule.

"Right now, we (Hydro customers) are subsidizing OPG (Ontario Power Generation) about $300-400 million every year just to keep those coal plants open. With the high cost of keeping the plants open and the low amount of coal that's being burned, it is no longer profitable to be burning coal, so we're lobbying to have the coal plants shut down early, like right now. We have 36 per cent excess electrical capacity on line.

"With green energy coming on line, natural gas coming on line, we don't need to be keeping these coal plants open...By shutting down the coal plants and committing no more dollars to nuclear expansion, we could meet all our energy needs much, much cheaper."

The Clean Air Alliance is a coalition of about 100 organizations across Canada, including businesses, municipalities and non-profit groups, committed to the goal of a 100 per cent green energy grid by 2030. They are opposed to the government's plan to build new nuclear plants (at a cost they put at more than $80 billion over ten years) to supply a significant part of Ontario's energy needs.

The current doubling of the transmission line through Erin is part of the infrastructure needed to deliver more electricity from Lake Huron reactors to Lake Ontario cities.

"Our strategy is to find political leadership...but none of the political leaders right now are advocating for a massive shutdown of the coal plants or a shift in funding away from new nuclear reactors to greener electricity," said Bischoff. After the huge cost over-runs of the past, the Alliance has advocated that the bid process for reactors reflect their full life cycle cost and that people be fully aware that nuclear energy has been highly subsidized by taxpayers.

They promote a combination of three less expensive strategies to make nuclear power unnecessary: 1. Conservation measures to reduce demand. 2. Importation of clean hydro-generated power from Quebec, where they have excess electricity. 3. Efficient use of natural gas (capturing waste heat), as an interim measure.

She said these measures would allow the province to shut down reactors at the end of their useful service and not replace them, opening the grid to a flood of green, renewable energy. That will be generated not only by wind turbines and solar panels (both large-scale and home-based), but biomass processes, geothermal (extraction of heat from the ground) and new technologies such as capturing the energy from waves and rivers.

She also criticized the way wind farms are being developed in Ontario, with no control or ownership by local communities. Wind turbines have been well accepted in Europe where there has been strong community involvement.

The Alliance is urging people to contact political representatives to make their views known. More information is available at www.cleanairalliance.org and www.CoalMustGo.ca.

New Hillsburgh group would protest well renewal

As published in The Erin Advocate

People who are concerned about the impact of water extraction by the Nestlé company are gearing up to oppose renewal of a permit for its Hillsburgh well, and are hoping to form a local group affiliated with Wellington Water Watchers.

A range of water issues was discussed last week after the latest film in the 2012 Fast Forward series, organized by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and sponsored by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).

The film was Water on the Table, a profile of Council of Canadians National Chair Maude Barlow, who has authored 16 books and been a prominent critic of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the World Trade Organization and oil sands development. As senior advisor on water to the president of the United Nations in 2009, she addressed the General Assembly:

"The problem is that we humans have seen the Earth and its water resources as something that exists for our benefit and economic advancement rather than as a living ecological system that needs to be safeguarded if it is to survive. The human water footprint surpasses all others and endangers life on Earth itself," she said.

"Water must be seen as a commons that belongs to the Earth and all species alike. It must be declared a public trust that belongs to the people, the ecosystem and the future. Clean water must be delivered as a public service, not a profitable commodity. We need to assert once and for all that access to clean, affordable water is a fundamental human right."

The assembly endorsed the right to clean water and sanitation in 2010, with 122 countries voting in favour, and 41 (including Canada) abstaining. The vote carries no legal force and does not affect Canada's sovereign rights over its water.

Nora Chaloner, Chair of the Guelph chapter of the Council of Canadians, said at the meeting that Barlow's work means a lot in the Global South. Almost 900 million people in the world lack safe drinking water and 2.6 billion have no access to basic sanitation.

"Unfortunately the countries that did not sign on to it are in the Global North, the big, prosperous countries, the developed countries, who don't really want to have water as a human right," she said.

Groups such as the Council of Canadians and the National Farmers' Union are also concerned that a trade deal known as CETA, now being negotiated between Canada and Europe, could affect municipal water. If towns and cities end up having to seek private investment to maintain their water and waste systems, they may be obliged to accept bids from foreign corporations. This could lead to rate hikes, cut-offs for low-income households, poorer environmental protection and lack of accountability.

Bottled water, of course, is already a commercial business. Nestlé's Hillsburgh permit comes up for renewal in August. There has been no identified harm to the local water supply to date, but there is concern because the MoE is underfunded and allows Nestlé to do the monitoring. A well protection agreement between Nestlé and Erin is designed to provide rapid response to any complaints by well owners.

The Ministry of the Environment (MoE) deals with a range of issues, including the length of the license period, the opportunities for public input, the monitoring of local water levels by the company and the fee that it pays – currently just $3.74 per million litres of water.

The issue is complex, because if water is taxed as a resource (like oil), it becomes more of a commodity – one that the US could claim is tradable on a larger scale under NAFTA.
The renewal for the Aberfoyle well was approved last year with no new restrictions on volume or time period, but with extensive monitoring of other wells in the area.

Wellington Water Watchers has promoted the safety of tap water and led the local fight against bottled water and high-volume water taking. Chair Mike Nagy, a speaker after the film last week, said the group hopes to persuade the MoE to take a broader view with a "water budget" for the region, and to consider all aspects of the bottled water, such as the harm caused by plastic bottles and extensive trucking.

"We don't want to be known as the anti-Nestlé group, that's not who the Water Watchers are, but that is one of our highest profile projects," he said. "We have lost faith in the Environmental Bill Registry for the permit to take water, we feel it is a flawed process...We had 8,000 people comment in 2007 on the Aberfoyle permit – that was basically dismissed by the Ministry."

Nagy said a new strategy is being developed for the Hillsburgh renewal, but it is not being made public yet. "It's all hands on deck, we need all resources, talents, anybody that can come forward," he said.

"I'd like to see a group of people in Hillsburgh and Erin get together and hammer out the issues," said teacher Chris Green, a Hillsburgh native.

"There is power in numbers," said Chaloner. "It starts by you talking to your neighbours and your friends, and groups getting together."

If you would like to get involved, or just get more information, contact Liz Armstrong of CCAGE at liz@ican.net or 519-833-4676, or Wellington Water Watchers at www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca, or 519-780-5030.

Holly Nadalin of Credit Valley Conservation, which will be offering its comments on the impact of the Nestlé well, also announced a new stewardship program, with details available soon on their website, www.creditvalleyca.ca. Rural landowners will be able to apply for 65-100 per cent funding for property improvements that will enhance water quality and other aspects of the local ecology.

County will not redevelop landfill site

As published in The Erin Advocate

It is unlikely that Wellington County would ever consider recreational redevelopment of the old Erin Village landfill site, or even allow a walking trail to pass through it, according to the Manager of Solid Waste Services.

"When it's closed, it's closed forever," said Doug Konrad. "It is to be maintained as grass only."

The County took over the site, just west of the Credit River near Church Street, about ten years ago. It was closed in 2003 under a Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

Konrad said it would be an expensive process to re-open and alter the terms of that certificate, which would be required even for a trail, and it could expose the county to the risk of more stringent requirements from the MOE. If formal walking trails had existed in the area in 2003, there could have been provision for them in the closure plan.

Before Christmas, the county spent about $40,000 to install a 427-meter chain link fence along the south-east border of the landfill, starting at the river. About half that cost was to reinforce it with welded cross-beams, to deter vandals who have repeatedly torn down fences in the area.

The hilly countryside has been damaged by dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle riders, with resulting erosion on both county and private property.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing encourages municipalities to redevelop "brownfield" properties, such as former commercial, industrial or landfill sites, for more active use.

That is a costly process as well, but a brochure from that ministry says such redevelopment can support economic development and job creation, contribute to revitalization and "increase community pride and quality of life".

Other communities have successfully turned old landfills into nature parks. That option should at least be open for discussion and investigation in Erin. Research is being conducted on various uses for closed sites, even the growing of crops to be used as biofuel.

Machine traffic on the hills still has to be stopped, and maybe more fencing is inevitable. But hiker traffic carries a very low risk and it should be accommodated, even if it involves some cost. Monitor wells on the site need to be protected, but maybe there are ways to do this without turning the entire area into a fortress.

Konrad said that the MOE prefers chain link fencing at old landfills, but does not absolutely require it if the site is not being disturbed. The vandalism made it necessary to replace the old broken farm-style fences with chain link, he said. There is no immediate plan to replace the farm fences on the other sides of the landfill.

"We'll monitor the site and see what happens," he said. "Within a couple of years, it will probably be all fenced in."

Composting toilets could reduce sewage costs

As published in The Erin Advocate

Composting toilets could be part of a solution to the sewage problem that has stifled growth in Erin and threatens residents with huge costs.

The Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) study is entering a phase this year in which engineers will work out a series of options for the Town to consider, as many of the older household septic systems in Hillsburgh and Erin village will soon need to be repaired or replaced.

One option is to do nothing, but the provincial government will not stand for that. Do we want to create our own solutions, or are we willing to have the Ministry of the Environment force some upon us?

Another option will be a full, traditional sewage system, built in phases over many years, including a large treatment plant in Erin village that would discharge into the Credit River. It would handle sewage pumped down from Hillsburgh, plus all the septage pumped from rural septic tanks. Hook-up in the urban areas would be mandatory.

The SSMP, however, must present the Town with other options. They have to be realistic options, not just some straw ideas that can be easily dismissed, or unproven technologies that are too risky.

The technology of composting toilets has advanced greatly in the last 40 years, so they can now provide efficient breakdown of waste, with no mess, no smell and minimal maintenance. Unlike modern septic systems, they do not require homes to be built on one full acre of valuable land.

The waste does not have to stay in the bathroom, under the toilet. Standard drain plumbing and minimal water can transport it from more than one toilet to a single composting unit on a lower floor or in the basement.

The device is airtight, with venting to the outdoors. Waste goes into a heated drum that rotates, mixing the material and allowing liquid to drain to an evaporation chamber. As the solid material breaks down, it moves to a finishing chamber where a drawer allows the soil-like compost to be removed without any exposure to raw waste. Manufacturer Sun-Mar Corp. says that with a large "bio-drum", most families would only have to remove compost once per year.

A top-of-the-line system costs about $2,000 at Home Depot, plus installation. Replacing a septic system can cost over $30,000, especially on the majority of old village lots, which are now too small for a standard septic tank and drain bed. No one knows what the hook-up charge for a sewer system would be, but Mayor Lou Maieron recently suggested that it could be $20,000 (spread over many years), or maybe a lot more. No one knows the cost of a treatment plant, but it would have been about $25 million in 1995, to serve Erin village only.

The key to mass adoption of a composting toilet strategy would be a communal greywater system. Greywater is the relatively clean drainage from sinks, bathtubs, showers and laundry. The main contaminants are food particles and soap products.

This water may require a system to drain or pump it to small-scale filtering areas, such as constructed wetlands that would service separate neighbourhoods. This would be a lot of trouble, but not nearly as expensive or disruptive as a full sewage system.

Would it be any more trouble than having hundreds of miniature sewage treatment plants buried under our lawns, as we now have with septic beds?

Could an entire subdivision be built without sewers or septic tanks, relying on composting toilets for contaminated waste and a filtering system for greywater?

Would people be willing to buy such houses, if they could save the cost of a $30,000 septic system, or the initial and ongoing costs of sewers? It would not be acceptable for some people, but many others would be proud to be part of such a development.

What if, instead of having to replace your entire septic system, you could extend its useful life by having a composting toilet to handle a significant amount of your waste?

What if downtown businesses could avoid the cost of having a holding tank pumped out regularly, without the massive disruption of sewer construction? (Even if sewers are built, it may be possible to build the system without entirely tearing up Main Street in the business district.)

I am not an expert on any of this stuff, but I have seen enough to know that innovative solutions are possible. Fortunately, we have hired experts for the SSMP who should be able to give us some achievable options. We're into this study for over $300,000 already, so let's make sure it is not wasted. The Town probably couldn't back out of this process even if it wanted to.

It is inevitable that Erin will get some population growth and higher density housing. Let's work to ensure it is done moderately and intelligently. Instead of giving up on the SSMP, let's set our standards high and get as much as we can out of it.

Mayor says Erin overcharged for waste services

As published in The Erin Advocate

Mayor Lou Maieron has renewed a dispute with Wellington County, saying that Erin taxpayers are being overcharged $587,000 annually since the closure of the Hillsburgh Transfer Station.

Maieron said he has been told by county officials that Erin should be happy to be receiving "Cadillac service", since the county now provides both urban and rural pickup of garbage and recyclables.

Many people were unhappy, however, with the closure of the Hillsburgh Transfer Station in May 2010. As a county councillor, Maieron advocated a new facility for Erin-Rockwood to handle bulky garbage, metal, wood, tires, reusable items and household hazardous waste, which would cost far less than a full transfer station.

Instead, Erin residents have to drive to the Belwood Transfer Station for these services. Maieron argues that it is unfair and inefficient for the county to provide other communities in central and northern Wellington with both urban pickup and nearby transfer stations, especially since Erin taxpayers pay a higher share of the costs.

"We have to look at the whole equation," he said in an interview. "We don't have Cadillac service when others have two or three options."

He says the county provides costly duplicate service and is competing with itself by allowing many residents the choice of garbage pick-up, or the option of driving bagged garbage to a transfer station for a lower fee.

"I would suggest that the rest of the County be weaned off the current Rolls Royce level of Solid Waste service and move to this more efficient and less costly 'Cadillac level of service' provided to Erin and Guelph-Eramosa," he said in a recent letter to the warden and members of the Solid Waste Services Committee. Councillors are willing to consider the issue, but no immediate changes are expected.

The core problem for Erin is the province's property tax system. Because Erin property values are relatively high in the current real estate market, residents here must pay a higher share of the taxes required to provide county services.

Wellington County gets about $11.5 million from Erin annually, and since solid waste represents seven per cent of the county budget, Maieron identifies $802,000 as Erin's contribution to the county waste system. It only costs the county $215,000, however, to provide waste pickup in Erin, leaving a difference of $587,000. (This calculation does not include the cost of landfilling the waste, or of the one-day Household Hazardous Waste event.)

"What are Erin residents receiving for this significant additional contribution?" Maieron asks in his letter. "It appears very little. Are we subsidizing everyone else's level of SWS service? Perhaps. For such generosity, Erin residents are provided with the opportunity to drive 40 plus kilometers to the Belwood Transfer Station to dispose of bulky waste etc. ... These services currently exist in almost every other municipality in Wellington County - excepting Guelph-Eramosa.

"I cannot in good faith continue to have my residents over-contribute for services they do not locally receive.

"When we look at average residential cost in the treasurer's report - based on 3,960 Erin households, the cost to provide curbside collection is approximately $54.33 per household per year. What is charged in taxes is $202.51 per household per year, resulting in a difference of $148.18, which is almost 3 times more than what the curbside collection service costs to deliver."

Closing the Hillsburgh station saved the County more than $600,000 in annual operating costs, but Maieron says, "None of these savings were translated in any additional services for Erin residents/taxpayers".

Erin Auto Recyclers does allow Erin residents to avoid the drive to Belwood for some bulky, hazardous and electronic waste. Maieron said efforts by the company to work with the county to expand disposal have met with excessive red tape, and that county staff "have discouraged Erin Auto Recyclers from proceeding any further".

Fence sparks anger over dirt bikes

As published in The Erin Advocate

The new fence recently erected by Wellington County on the border of the old Erin Village landfill site has prompted a hostile response from residents who consider it a "huge scar" on a beautiful landscape and an unwelcome obstacle to hikers and wildlife.

Others consider the fence an unfortunate necessity, designed in part to discourage dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) traffic, which has caused serious damage on Erin's drumlin – the long, glacier-deposited hill west of the village.

“We’ve always had this scheduled to have fencing put up at some point,” said Doug Konrad, manager of solid waste for Wellington County, which took over responsibility for the old landfill site ten years ago. They have had trouble with off-road vehicles using the site and causing erosion.

“We decided to move the plans forward a little bit and at least do one section of the site with chain link, the side that gave us most problems," said Konrad, explaining that the Ministry of Environment requires these types of sites to be fenced in to make sure monitor wells are not damaged. "This is the only thing we could reasonably do.”

The six-foot fence, with two cross-beams welded between each post, starts at the mill pond, across the river from Church St. W. It runs up the hill along the south-east border of the landfill, and down the other side. It is clearly visible from McMillan Park downtown.

"I am so upset to see this huge scar cutting into the beautiful emerald backdrop in Erin," said Melissa Livingston-Staples. "Those hills give our village a unique character. Why weren't we consulted about this change to our landscape?"

John Denison owns the property next to the landfill at the hilltop. Last May he wrote a letter to the Town of Erin regarding damage to his land by dirt bikes and ATVs. Town Council passed the matter to the County and wrote a letter requesting the OPP to increase their presence at the site. Mayor Lou Maieron is confident that the matter was handled properly.

The County had a legal obligation, a plan in place and money allocated in their budget, so the fence was erected. Konrad said more fencing can be expected to meet provincial standards.

Emma Bramma Smith walks the hilltop trail regularly and was shocked when she first discovered the fence. She says the dog-walkers and hikers who use the hills actually help to keep the off-road vehicles off the trails.

“We feel violated, and when you look at it, you can understand why,” she said. “It’s not just inconveniencing a bunch of dog walkers. Wildlife has even more right to that land than we do.”

Denison has worked hard to discourage dirt bikes and ATVs, but his fences have often been cut or removed. He says the machines cause noise and pollution, and have turned trails into slippery mud and boulders.

"This is my backyard. I walk there nearly every day. I enjoy the quiet and the view. If that new fence cuts down the machine traffic, I'm all for it," he said.

"I'm okay with hikers. I leave openings in the fence so people can come through without damaging the fence. They're walking on their own two legs getting exercise and fresh air. They mostly pick-up after themselves and their dogs. They're respectful of private property and I appreciate that."

Smaller animals can still get past the fence though gaps at the bottom, and hikers can still use the area by altering their routes. Machine riders are still accessing the landfill property by driving around the end of the fence on the frozen edge of the mill pond.

Livingston-Staples is unhappy with the mess left by the fence builders: trees uprooted, leftover pipe ends, fence materials and aerosol cans of metallic paint. She would also like to see the site put to better use in the future.

"If houses are not going to be built on the dump, why can't the gorgeous views be enjoyed by the residents and tourists and wildlife?" she asked. "Why can't the dump be recycled by nature and people, rather than closing it up and throwing it away, like it never existed?

"We love the hills and have always felt a closeness to nature up on the hill. It affects your soul when you are up there. It is a special place I hate to lose and I would like future generations to be able to enjoy it also. Walking is the oldest exercise and is still the best. Let's protect the trails of Erin."

Steve Revell leads the Town's Trails Committee, which is making trail improvements on public land with the help of the Rotary Club, and hopes to create a better network of trails in the future.

"We have to recognize the generosity of the landowners who have long allowed walkers to use this [hilltop] trail by providing narrow gateways," he said. "The big problem has always been the motorized vehicles which have ripped up the hillsides and made the trail surface prone to erosion. I can indeed sympathize with the landowners on this issue."

Bill Dinwoody, who chairs the Town's Recreation and Culture Committee, believes the fence should be viewed as environmental protection rather than a barrier. He is concerned, however, that the fence may intrude too close to the river.

"The key issue here is that these properties are private and people using these unsanctioned trails are in fact trespassing," he said. "Hikers are resilient and will follow other routes. Most people who hike do so because they love the environment and conservation and take it upon themselves to preserve the trail.

"Unfortunately, it is the 'few' who take it upon themselves to tear up landscape with motorized vehicles which in a way has caused this action. If ATV's and dirt bikes continue to use private lands, I foresee numerous fences and obstacles installed in the hills to curtail them.

"Maybe it is time for someone to develop trails for motorized vehicles, to give them a place away from private property."

'Tis the prime season for waste generation

As published in The Erin Advocate

How shall we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Blue Box Recycling Program in Wellington County? A big party might be fun, but perhaps a bit wasteful. Maybe we could just kick our recycling efforts up to the next level. You know, like, go for the gusto, or the whole nine yards, or maybe we could give 110 per cent.

Actually, since only about 85 per cent of recyclables are being captured in the curbside programs, even a small increase would be good news.

Recycling fans will be glad to learn that three new types of material will be accepted in blue boxes as of January: milk and juice cartons (remove caps, but do not flatten), drink boxes (remove straws, but do not flatten) and frozen food boxes (flatten, and put in an unflattened box). I'll bet some people didn't even know these items were previously prohibited – or perhaps some were sneaking them into their blue boxes.

Of course, being responsible with your waste involves a lot more than dutifully filling the blue box. It requires an effort to reduce the volume of trash and recyclables we generate. County residents sent 12,800 tonnes of garbage to landfill last year, and recycled 5,000 tonnes through blue boxes. It is most important to reduce the first figure, but desirable to also reduce the second one.

It may require an occasional trip to the Belwood Transfer Station – think of it as a scenic drive and a chance to re-live the good old days of lining up at the now-closed Hillsburgh Transfer Station.

You might start with your natural Christmas tree. Urban curbside collection of trees will be done in the week of January 9, but all residents can bring them to the transfer station until January 31. There is no charge, but food bank donations will be accepted.

"Holiday celebrations and gift packaging dramatically increase household waste," says Solid Waste Chairman Don McKay, in the department's current newsletter.

Remember that wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and bows cannot be recycled, so it is worth trying to re-use them. Greeting cards can be recycled, as long as there is no plastic, fabric or metallic surfacing.

If you get new clothes for Christmas, consider donating some of your gently-used older ones at the Thrift Stores operated by East Wellington Community Services. Or, if you are going to Belwood, drop them at no charge in the transfer station textile bins. Other items like footwear, stuffed animals and linens are also accepted, and picked up by the Canadian Diabetes Association for reuse and recycling. Find out more at www.diabetes.ca.

Belwood also has a Reuse Centre, where you can leave household items like furniture, toys, luggage, dishes, electronics, books and sports equipment. You pay a small fee, the same as you might pay to dump the items in the waste bin. Instead, they go to a building where people can browse through the goods. It's like a garage sale, but everything is free to take.

The main website for waste services is at www.wellington.ca, where you can get lots of tips on diversion programs. There is also an online re-use service at www.wellington.reuses.com, where items are also free.

For metal, tires, appliances, electronics, large batteries and motor oil, it may be most convenient to drop them at Erin Auto Recyclers on 17 Sideroad – all at no charge, except for freon appliances. But if you have to make a trip to Belwood with bulky material, you can save some money by bringing your regular garbage with you as well. Pack it into plain garbage bags and you will only be charged $1 per bag, as opposed to the $1.75 cost of the county's yellow pre-paid curbside pick-up bags. It's also $1 per bag (or equivalent) for wood, brush and scrap metal.

Some people save up their household hazardous waste for the once-a-year drop off day at Centre 2000, to be held in the spring instead of the summer this year. But you can reduce that collection by bringing household batteries to any county library. Belwood accepts some hazardous material, specifically motor oil and filters, antifreeze, household and automobile batteries, aerosol cans and propane cylinders, at no charge.

Don't mix hazardous materials with regular trash, or dump them down the sink or toilet. Old medications and vitamins are accepted at many pharmacies, and old paint is accepted by some retailers. Medical sharps require special precautions – check with your pharmacy or the county website for instructions.

Reel environmental action on a Sunday afternoon

As published in The Erin Advocate

A triple bill of environmental films will be featured at the Centre 2000 theatre on Sunday, April 3, a collaboration between erincinema and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin.

The line-up was to have concluded with Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Story, but that was changed after organizers learned it was to be broadcast on CBC television on March 13 and April 3.

Instead they will show The Clean Bin Project, a documentary film about a couple who compete with each other to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least landfill garbage in an entire year.

In their quest to live waste-free, they tackle some major pollution issues, interview some experts, and try to make sense of their seemingly small influence in a "throw-away society".

It may seem like a lot to watch three documentaries in a row (total time 165 minutes, plus a 30-minute intermission) but given the high level of local interest in environmental affairs, I would not be surprised to see a good-sized audience. It will certainly be more stimulating than three hours of "Reality TV".

"We're hoping to inspire people to think about taking action," said Viviana Keir, a member of the Town's erincinema committee. They want to make Reel Action an annual event.

The doors open at 12:30 pm and the films start at 1 pm. Admission is free, but donations to help the East Wellington Community Services food bank will be appreciated. As at the Fast Forward film nights, there will be organic popcorn, and information tables on local food, tree planting et cetera.

The free admission is thanks to sponsorship by Powersmiths, a Brampton company that designs and manufactures power distribution systems that help reduce electricity waste.

The first film of the afternoon will be The Green Legacy Documentary, a short film on the largest municipal tree planting program in North America, which is here in Wellington County.

Next up will be Fresh – New thinking about what we're eating, which celebrates passionate people who are re-inventing the food system. It is a movie that has become part of the grassroots movement to make local, organic food a high priority for more people.

"We believe that Fresh can truly help get us to a tipping point, when sustainable food will no longer be just a niche market," said filmmaker Ana Joanes.

It deals with the consequences of industrial-style farming: problems with contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and obesity. It features people who are forging healthier, sustainable alternatives for the future of food. It is also a call to engage in ten suggested "fresh" actions:

1. Buy local products when possible; otherwise, buy organic and fair-trade products.

2. Shop at a local farmers market.

3. Support restaurants and food vendors that buy locally produced food.

4. Avoid genetically modified organisms, which are prevalent in the soy, corn, and canola of processed foods.

5. Cook, can, dry and freeze – at home.

6. Drink plenty of water, but avoid bottled water when you can. Buy a reusable water bottle and invest in a good water filter.

7. Grow a garden, visit a farm, volunteer in your community garden, teach a child how to garden.

8. Volunteer and/or financially support an organization dedicated to promoting a sustainable food system. Stay informed by joining the mailing list of the advocacy groups you trust.

9. Get involved in your community. Influence issues surrounding food choices by communicating with elected officials at various levels: School Board, Town, County, Provincial and Federal.

10. Share your passion – talk to friends and family about why food choice matters.

More information is available at: www.erincinema.ca; www.cleanbinproject.com/the-film; www.freshthemovie.com; and www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/CampaignNews/wellington.asp.

Duct tape adventures in wastewater management

As published in The Erin Advocate

When water goes down the household drains, I just want it to go away – preferably far away. I do not want to see it, hear it, smell it or touch it. Unfortunately, I've had to do all those things this fall.

It started with a soggy spot at the end of the septic bed, and proceeded to the guessing game that septic system owners must eventually face: Are my weeping bed tiles disintegrating? Are they clogged with crud from my septic tank? Have the roots from nearby trees grown into the pipes and choked them? Has the layer of biofilm (smelly black gunk) under the pipes gotten so dense that the water has to drain up instead of down?

With the expensive possibility of having to replace the entire system looming, I asked the inevitable bottom line question: What is the least amount of money I need to spend to get this system working again?

The tank is about 33 years of age, but I get it pumped every three years and it still works properly. Since I was unsure about the condition of the septic bed, I decided against a system that would regularly pump air into the pipes and possibly rejuvenate their ability to process wastewater.

I got some helpful advice from Dave Doan at SepTech Wastewater Systems in Hillsburgh. We decided the best first step would be to pump out the bed, which could solve the problem, at least for the short term. That's when the fun started.

I had to get access to the drain pipe, downstream of the septic tank. To save myself some money, I said I would do the digging on my own, since the pipe appeared to be only about 18 inches underground. When I started digging, however, I found that the pipe took a sharp turn downward, through some dense clay.

Many hours later, I finally had the pipe exposed at the bottom of a three and a half foot deep hole, dug wide enough for someone to get in and work.

I found too that the drain pipe had for some time been separated at one of the joints, leaving a large gap. Standing in the hole, I wondered why the ground was totally dry.

Then, someone flushed a toilet. I was suddenly flooded with a realization: the tightly packed soil I had just dug out had formed part of the drainway. I jammed the pipes together, wrapped the joint in plastic bags and sealed it up with duct tape until a proper repair could be done.

The next day, a whole truckload of gunk was pumped out of the septic bed and the drain was fixed – complete with a new access pipe so I could add hydrogen peroxide to the drainage bed. It breaks down to oxygen and water, putting dissolved oxygen into the system to help the digestive process. The wet spot on the lawn dried up, and everything was fine.

A few weeks later, though, I heard strange gurgling sounds through the kitchen sink. When we used water in any part of the house, it started filling up the kitchen sink. The laundry drain was backed up, and when I tried to let some water out of it, I got a solid spray in the face. I thought the whole septic system may have failed and backed up, but when I went outside and lifted the septic tank lid, the water level was normal.

That meant there had to be a blockage in the pipe between the house and the septic tank, which led me to the big threaded clean-out plug in my crawlspace. But before you can attack the clog, you have to get rid of all the water in your drains. That means unscrewing the plug just enough to let the smelly water pour into buckets. If you have poured Drano into the system, in a futile attempt to clear the clog, then you have to haul out smelly, caustic water.

Running a bucket brigade to get wastewater out of your basement may seem like an unpleasant job, but trust me, it can be much worse. If you are ever in this situation, do not be tempted to loosen the plug just a bit more, to speed up the process.

When the plug popped out of the drain pipe, it only took a few seconds to force it back on. But with a 3.5-inch pipe under pressure from the whole house, that was enough time to create an unforgettable mess. The type of mess that requires not only a Shop-Vac, but a small shovel.

Moving right along...the water was eventually out of the pipe and I had access to the clogged drain, but my plumbing snake was not long enough to reach the clog. So, naturally, I got three broomsticks and attached them together with duct tape. That made a ramrod that would go all the way from the basement to the septic tank.

The clog didn't stand a chance and soon the drain was draining like it should. We put a proper snake through it a couple of days later just to be sure, but the adventure was all over, except for the cleanup.

And the moral of these two stories? It is pretty obvious. Before you start any household project, always have plenty of duct tape on hand.