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If Ontario’s environment commissioner didn’t think Ottawa had a sewage problem before, he does now.
A media event to showcase new technology that will regulate the amount of sewage flowing into the Ottawa River quickly turned into a venting session for a group of angry residents who gathered to say the new system stinks — literally.
The city has just commissioned one of five new multi-million dollar Real Time Control systems, including one at its Keefer St. regulator site, within sight of the Rideau Hall, the home to Canada’s Governor General.
However, one woman who has lived in the affluent Ottawa neighbourhood for more than 30 years, said the smell of sewage was so bad in recent days it made her sick on two occasions while outside enjoying her garden.
“It smelled like a sewage lagoon as it often does,” said Karen Wholdike, who lives a few metres from the regulator. “It made me physically ill.”
Several reporters covering the event had to step away to get away from the smell that was coming from at least one sewer hole.
“We have to live through this,” she told members of the media. “It goes on and on and on.”
Wholdike also expressed her frustration to Ontario Environment Commissioner Gord Miller and the city’s environmental services manager Dixon Weir, who had stopped by to visit the site.
Miller is in Ottawa to review the city’s sewage system and offer some solutions and said Wholdike’s complaint is exactly the type of concern he wants to hear from residents.
“I don’t judge how things happen, I judge the response,” said Miller after he listened to Weir tell the resident the city will look into the problem.
Weir said he and his staff take the complaint seriously and will do everything they can to fix the problem.
“This is a first order priority and we will address the odour concern immediately.”
Four other residents living in the area said they aren’t pleased with the constant stench of sewage wafting through their community.
“It stinks. It stinks,” said 92-year-old Barbara Coulson.
Coulson’s son Stuart Mapp moved to Keefer St. two years ago and said if he had to do it again he would stay away.
Just the other morning Mapp walked out on to his second-floor deck to enjoy a cup of coffee and immediately turned around and went back inside his home because the smell of sewage was so strong.
“It’s nauseous,” he said. “I don’t notice it every day, but frequently. I would not have moved here.”