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| CARTOON - July 27, 2010 |
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| EDITORIAL - July 27, 2010 |
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| Baptiste/Island Lake sewage system deserves consideration |
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Advocate Staff
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A municipal sewage system to serve the communities around Baptiste Lake and Island Lake would be, if and when it goes forward, no simple project.
A recent report, one of two prepared by Stantec Engineering for the Baptiste-Island Lake Sewage Lagoon Committee, suggested three options, the least expensive one coming in at around $10 million dollars.
Earlier this year, committee members used money obtained through grants to fund the reports, which looked at the feasibility and cost of suitable municipal sewage systems.
According to one of the reports, the preferred option is called a Septic Tank Effluent Pumping (STEP) system. It's comprised of a network of pressure sewers that collect wastewater from the service areas for disposal to a central wastewater treatment facility.
Under this option, raw sewage from the dwelling units would be collected in private underground septic tanks. Filtered wastewater would then be pumped to the main pressure sewer system to be eventually discharged to the existing sewage lagoon.
It's a lot more complex than the septic tanks and sewage fields that many lake residents rely on now. But times have changed a lot since the majority of cottages that surround Baptiste Lake and Island lake were built, and these methods for storing and disposing of waste won't sustain populated areas.
While a properly designed septic tank or sewage field should prevent any waste from entering the lakes, some have suggested that older systems, installed decades ago, may be allowing this to happen.
With so many now concerned about the health of Baptiste Lake and Island Lake, a municipal sewage system, properly installed and maintained, is one way to prevent nutrients from entering the lakes.
Currently, many residents around Baptiste and Island lakes have their waste transported to the Baptiste-Island Lake Sewage Lagoon.
However, Stantec has cautioned that, at its current size, the lagoon wouldn't be able to serve the needs of all the residents around the lake, plus the needs of those residents who will occupy several new subdivisions which are scheduled to be built over the next few years.
It's clear that a municipal sewage system deserves fair consideration from residents. And while some may balk at the costs, which will no doubt be shared by residents, the province and Athabasca County, communities around the lake aren't getting any smaller. In fact, more people are moving to the area than ever before. A project of this magnitude takes years of planning and preparation, including discussions with stakeholders. It's good to see that the members of the Baptiste/Island Lake Sewage Lagoon Committee are planning ahead.
It will make things just a little smoother when the time comes to move forward. |
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