Winter is back this morning, but we missed the freezing rain.  Public Works is busy clearing the streets and sidewalks and the Counties have done several sweeps of their roads with plows and sand/salt.

Emergency Survival Kit

This is the second “freezing rain” event in the past two weeks.  Do you have a plan and emergency survival kit to take care of yourself and family for at least 72 hours immediately following an emergency?

Here is the Emergency Management Ontario link that covers how to be prepared. https://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/beprepared/Step1MakeAPlan/Step1_make_a_plan.html

Sump Pump Connections

The heavy rain these past few days has resulted in wet basements and, consequently, sump pumps are working hard.  Please remember that it is illegal to connect your sump pump to the waste water system.

Council continues to have concerns about the number of properties discharging clean sump pump water to the waste water lagoons.  Every person who disconnects a sump pump from the sewer pipes becomes part of the Village solution, instead of the problem.  As I walk in the Village, I note that several properties have disconnected from the sewer system over the past couple of years.  On behalf of Council and Staff, thank you for working with us to reduce the exponential amount of clean water being sent to the waste water lagoons.

However, there are still property owners that are not in compliance with the by-law.  Research indicates that 10 sump pumps connected to the waste water pipes is equal to the normal household discharge of 300 homes. The pipes were all examined in 2018 & 2019 and are in good condition without leaks.

Members of Council visited every residence in late 2019 and conducted a survey regarding downspout and sump pump connections.  Council approved the purchase of a flow meter, which has been installed in the sewer pipes.  It will measure unusually high flows for a limited number of properties.  Over the next few months, Public Works will be following up with property owners in these areas.  Property owners with sump pumps still connected to the sewer pipes are encouraged to make the necessary changes.

Please check your sump pump connection to-day and if you have any questions, contact Mr Peter Evans, Supervisor of Public Works @ 613-273-2191 or pevans@villageofwestport.ca.