Tag Archives: Westport

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Hauling from lagoons to begin on Wednesday

The warm weather this winter and equipment freeze ups have made it very difficult to process effluent at the WWTP.  To date we have only processed a small amount of effluent and the lagoons are at 95.5% full.  According to our processing schedule, the lagoons should be down to 75% by January 18.  At Committee of the Whole on Monday night, we reviewed the activity from the previous 3 years at the WWTP and have serious concerns about the volume of effluent in the lagoons.  One of the major issues is that the flows to the plant have been 2 1/2 times higher in December than in November.  There is little doubt that sump pumps emptying into the system are partly to blame.

With the unpredictability of both the weather and our equipment, we made the decision to haul 10,000 cubic metres from the WWTP to Smiths Falls, beginning tomorrow (Wednesday).  We simply could not risk another weather event like last week’s torrential rains.  We will continue to process effluent at every opportunity.The cost of hauling is grant eligible from the money that we have received for remediation to the lagoons.

I will keep you updated on our progress throughout the winter.  Please contact the Councillor of your choice or me (273-9195) if you have any questions.

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Update on waste water treatment this winter

I have been asked by many people over the past couple of weeks what is happening with the Snowfluent system as they haven’t seen any evidence of snowmaking yet this year.  Although yesterday and today are perfect snow making conditions, the plant has yet to process this year.  Warm weather in December meant that the plant was not turned on.  In order to operate the Snowfluent system, the temperature needs to be -5 C and wind at least 4 km/hr.

On December 31, when the system was being started up, a broken pipe in one of the effluent lines prevented its operation.   The repairs to the pipe are expected to be made by the end of the day Tuesday.  Adjustments  were made to the plant today and I am hopeful that two towers will be operational tonight.  The weather forecast indicates that the unseasonably warm weather returns on Wednesday.

The levels of the lagoons are monitored daily as well as the daily flows from the Village to the lagoons.  The average flows in November were 220 m3, however alarmingly jumped to over 300 m3 in the latter part of December.  Sump pumps that are connected to the waste water system are contributing to this increase.  Please check to see where your sump pump dumps and ensure that it does not add to the lagoon levels.  Council is introducing a water conservation programme this week in the Review Mirror by providing advice on how to reduce the amount of clean water flowing to the waste water system.  Let’s work together to reduce the amount of unnecessary clean water being processed at the waste water plant by 10% this year.

Council met this afternoon to review the current situation.  Our Councillors bring a wealth of experience to the discussions and each of them is committed to asking the right questions to ensure they get all of the information they need to make decisions.  At the end of the meeting, Council is satisfied that monitoring the levels, flows and weather forecasts is sufficient at this point in time,.  Just as a reminder, should it be necessary to haul effluent, there is a solid contingency plan that can be in place with 24 hours notice.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact a Councillor of your choice or me.

 

 

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Happy New Year

It is hard to believe that the first year as your Mayor ended on December 1st. For the Village of Westport , this past year has been one of many accomplishments. Our highest priority is our waste water treatment plant and we have spent the year studying the challenges and considering our options for its rehabilitation.  At a Special Council meeting on December 11th, Council passed a resolution supporting the recommendation of the engineering consultant for the continued use of the 2 existing lagoon cells and a new large subsurface disposal system.  This resolution is grant dependent from the Government of Ontario and we are optimistic that we will hear a positive response from them in February 2016.  If all timelines are met, this should be our last winter relying on the Snowfluent system. In addition to the waste water, there have been many other events that have drawn our community together and we have accomplished more than ever before. The Village is an engaged, supportive community in which to live, work and play.

I hope you will spend time with family and friends this holiday season.  Please remember your neighbours at this time of year, especially our seniors and the many residents who live alone.  We have a few folks in hospital or convalescing away from the Village, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

From your members of Council, Town Hall staff and myself, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and look forward with anticipation to another great year in 2016.

Mayor Robin Jones