Bluewater Shoreline Residents' Association

Lambton Shores and South Huron began a review of their sewage treatment facilities in 2003 to accommodate growth and a request to service the Pinery Provincial Park. The partners approached Bluewater. A master plan was completed in 2006. Subsequent to the master plan 4 capital projects have been initiated.

The Grand Bend Sewage Treatment Facility
Lambton Shores Zone 3 Collection System
Bluewater Collection System - Bluewater web page - Bluewater's FAQ list (March 24, 2011)
South Huron Collection System

Status - Updated July 31, 2011

Note: We believe the information is reliable but make no guarantees - ask your councillor

In the matter of the Tri-Municipal Sewage Treatment Facility (STF), planning has slowed considerably, for two chief reasons. First, some of the target regions (Dashwood, sections of South Huron) have pulled out of the scheme altogether. Second, as of their June 10, 2011 meeting, the planning committee is dealing with a scathing report presented by a Grand Bend citizens' group which has devoted much time and energy to investigating the whole issue. That group's findings show that the Dillon-recommended ORBAL system as used in St. Jacobs and Tilbury is more expensive to build and operate and less effective by most measures than the SBR system in use in New Hamburg. The citizens' group has visited all three, and others, and has heard staff at each facility praise and/or condemn their systems. The SBR system, while not perfect, is generally favoured by its operators. It is cheaper and works better in cold climates than does the recommended ORBAL layout, and it allows for additional capacity as that is required. Apart from all that, Dillon's estimates for the cost of the ORBAL type STF have jumped from $12.4 million in 2006 to $26.9 million in 2011. At this price, the STF would be the most expensive project ever under-taken by the community of Lambton Shores (even with financial input from S. Huron and Bluewater and various government grants).

The Grand Bend citizens' group has also learned that the present four cell Grand Bend lagoons - claimed by Dillon and others to be at capacity now - are, in fact, far less than 75 percent so (one cell is unused). Add to that their discovery that the engineers' projections for the input from Pinery Park into the lagoons are in reality out by more than 80 percent, and it becomes clear why opposition to the STF is growing and why many are asking if an STF is needed at all.The Tri-Municipal committee appeared shocked by what the citizens' group presented and agreed they had a lot of homework to do (each member received the complete report) before any decision could be reached about an STF.

For more detailed coverage of this issue, see the Exeter Times-Advocate and the Lakeshore Advance of Wed., 15 June '11.

The most recent meeting of the Tri-Municipal committee was held on 15 July in Crediton. This provided the Dillon engineer the opportunity to defend his company's recommendation of both type and size of treatment facility. His hour long presentation was thorough and well documented and allowed the committee to hear again what Dillon perceives as the advantages of the ORBAL system re. cost, efficiency, flexibility, and simplicity of operation of their preferred system over the SBR system preferred by the Zone 3 group (Grand Bend citizens). Following the Dillon presentation, the Zone 3 spokesman was allowed 15 minutes to direct questions to the Dillon rep. While he disputed some of the Dillon statistics, the Zone 3 rep dwelt primarily on the question, "Is a new STF even required at this time or in the near future?", given how little of the current 4 cell lagoon system is actually being used.South Huron's Operations Manager, spoke next, expanding on his earlier presentation to S. Huron council wherein he favoured a smaller, phased-in STF rather than a full build.

See the Exeter Times Advocate of 06 July for more complete coverage of, and editorial comment on, the presentation to S. Huron council.

BSRA previous support the project >>> our August 2007 statement and our Summer 2009 Newsletter

Lakeshore Advance and Exeter Times Advocate Articles (recent first):

July 20, 2011 - Sewage project engineer defends decisions
July 13, 2011 - Sewage plant issues reviewed in private meeting
July 6, 2011 - South Huron prefers smaller plant
June 15, 2011 - Citizens’ group questions sewage decisions
June 15, 2011 - Grand Bend Zone 3 committee presents to Board
June 28, 2011 - Zone 3 group presents to council
June 1, 2011 - Trunk sewer recommended for Hwy. 21
May 18, 2011 - Treatment plant board to seek tenders for full and phased in plants
March 22, 2010 - Grand Bend councilor motions to quash collection system project
March 30, 2010 - Community group want to know need for sewers. Council attempts to answer queries.
February 17, 2010 - Community Association coalition, Sewer system questions
December 19, 2009 - Sewer project forges on
November 11, 2009 - South Huron applies for OMB mediation
November 11, 2009 - Treatment plant forges ahead as planned
October 29, 2009 - Sewer collection system session
October 27, 2009 - Talks on hold for tri-municipal project
October 23,2009 - Collection system meeting October 29
July 8, 2009 - Tri municipal treatment plant being developed. Significant progress.

Owner hook-up

The recommended collection system is a low pressure system which will require a grinder pump at each household and pumping stations on the pressure mains. A low pressure system is required because a deep gravity sewer cannot be installed between the many ravines along the shoreline. These collection lines are cheaper to install but cost more for the pumps and tanks. They also require more user attention and periodic pump replacement. The tanks provide some temporary capacity if there is a power outage or pump failure. (Adapted from GBSTF Aug 9 2008 PIC Slide 45)

Image from Grinder Pump FAQ

Dillon Image courtesy of E/One Sewer Systems

Public information provided in 2007 included the cost of the grinder pump in the collection system but not the lines. Information presented in 2008 suggested the cost of lines was variable and some older properties would need holding tanks if their septic system was older than 1986. The tank size at cottages may be less than larger homes. Therefore costs for some properties will be much higher than others.

Holding Tanks

June 6, 2009 council approved the development of a policy to regulate the use of holding tanks in lieu of sewage systems as an interim measure until sewers are available. CAO comments: Sewers must be imminent (probably a signed construction agreement). The policy should be aligned with the other participants.

Feb. 9, 2009. Bluewater Planning meeting - ON-SITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS CLASS 5 - HOLDING TANKS by Tim Masse, Chief Building Official.

"Ontario Building Code, Division B, Part 8
Section 8.8. Class 5 Sewage System", "8.8.1.2. Acceptable Installation",

"(1) A Class 5 sewage system may be installed in the following circumstances:

(a) where the proposed use of the sewage system is for a temporary operation,

excluding seasonal recreational use, not exceeding 12 months in duration,

(b) to remedy an unsafe sewage system where the remediation of the unsafe

condition by the installation of a Class 4 sewage system is impracticable,

(c) to upgrade a sewage system serving an existing building, where upgrading

through the use of a Class 4 sewage system is not possible due to lot size, site

slope or clearance limitations, or

(d) as an interim measure for a lot or parcel of land until municipal sewers are

available, provided that the municipality undertakes to ensure the continued

operation of an approved hauled sewage system until the municipal sewers are

available."

" clause 8.8.1.2.(1)(d) may be utilized in the transitional period as a short-term measure."

The availability of a place to take pumped out sewage/septage may limit this option as the STF will not have facilities to receive septage in the current design (March 2009 ESR Page 80)

Information Sources

January 28, 2010 - South Grand Bend "Zone 3" EA and Preliminary Design - Notice of Completion (Project File)

January 11, 2010 - Bluewater RFP for Class EA-Sewage Collection System in the Hwy 21 Corridor

October 29, 2009 - South Grand Bend "Zone 3" EA and Preliminary Design - Public Information Session 2

October 23, 2009 Tri-Municipal Minutes

August 21, 2009 Tri-Municipal Minutes

March 2009 Environmental Study Report (ESR) - STF costs

August 9, 2008 GBSTF Master Plan PIC - Collection system costs

Hensall August 11, 2007 PIC - BW portion of SH CS costs

November 2, 2008 Council Meeting

January 2009, Draft Pre-design Report, Council March 2, 2009.

March 16, 2009 Council Minutes, Collection system RFP process approved.

April 20, 2009 Council Minutes.

June 1, 2009, Council meeting, CAO comments in response to questions from Bill MacDougall.

June 8, 2009. Council meeting. On-site sewage systems Class 5 - Holding Tanks. Agenda item 18

All other values calculated by BSRA