Water and sewer budget could exceed $300,000

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Gail Paquette

EMC News -Madoc -A report submitted by Greer Galloway and presented by Road Superintendent Roger Taylor at the Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday afternoon indicated the need for both a new well and increased sewer disposal capacity at the lagoon.

"The bulk of the recommendations for the 2012 budget lay under the water and sewer report," stated Taylor.

In the report, Greer Galloway states the lagoon lacks capacity for future growth. Prior to making any upgrades a Schedule C Municipal Environmental Assessment is required to the maximum tune of $150,000.

Typically sewer treatment expansions are expensive. If the municipality wishes to seek funding though Ontario Small Waterworks Assistance Program (OSWAP) the assessment must be completed prior to receiving any funds. The estimated completion time for the assessment is one year.

Taylor urged council to to make good on its one-third promised investment in the successful application with OSWAP.

"The site we are on is so close to capacity the only course of action suggested in remaining at that location would be chemical separation," said CAO Matt MacDonald. The assessment would clarify all actions that could be taken for future expansion of the lagoon.

With one of only two municipal water sources being reliable, a new well on a new site is the probable outcome according to the report by Greer Galloway. The Whytock well has sprung a leak. Because of this the

Environmental Assessment will involve hydro-geological investigation. The cost not including drilling would be $100,000. Drilling could exceed $10,000 if the first well is not successful.

Taylor recommended council proceed immediately with the assessment for the new well as the Ministry of the Environment is very anxious.

"My recommendation is that council proceed full core with the OSWAP program to deal with the waste water problem and begin searching for a new water source immediately."

"Three hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money for a municipality of this size," stated Deputy-reeve Tom Simpson.

"We need to determine how to proceed but regardless we have to do it. We have to find the funding."

A motion was passed to receive the recommendation and refer it to the 2012 budget deliberations.