ERIN – Last year, Wellington Source Water completed 48 development reviews, 71 inspections, 107 septic inspections and finalized three risk management plans within town.
Wellington Source Water Protection risk manager Kyle Davis presented to town council at an April 11 meeting summarizing the work.
Some of the highlights included:
– removal or mitigation of 98 per cent of identified source water threat activities;
– no contraventions found in 38 compliance inspections largely related to manure, winter maintenance, and chemical/fuel storage;
– six risk management plans remain to be finalized this year;
– groundwater modelling for a new well, known as “E9,” is scheduled to be completed this spring;
For the remaining two per cent of the “threat activities” around municipal wells, Davis said they are “predominately agricultural uses.”
Septic system inspections
Of 125 properties with septic systems, Davis said inspections were completed on 107. Three are exempt, and 15 remain to be done this year.
Davis said a “remedial action rate” of 52 per cent was “a little higher this time,” but noted most issues were minor, such as tank pump outs or lid repairs.
“But there were 19 major contraventions as well,” he noted.
Some of the major issues include integrity of septic tanks, and leaching bed obstructions.
The Source Water organization, which aims to prevent issues before they hit a municipal well, pays attention to septic systems, and Davis said the organization will be looking into why the remedial action rate has increased.
Councillor John Brennan asked if there’s anything that should be on the town’s radar.
“We’re in pretty good shape in the town,” Davis said.
Though he did note salt concentrations in ground and surface water are increasing across the county, and could become a future problem.
