Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
The Chair of Ottawa’s Planning and Environment Committee believes Ontario’s Environmental Commissioner will be impressed with Ottawa’s plans to stop sewage overflows into the Ottawa River.
Councillor Peter Hume says he welcomes the investigation by Gord Miller into the combined sewer operation.
The Ottawa Sun reports Miller has been asked by Municipal Affairs Minister Jim Watson to review Ottawa’s sewer system, and make recommendations on how the city can stop the overflows. Miller will visit City Hall later this month to examine the problem and see how the city is planning to address it.
Hume tells CFRA News Ottawa “believes” it has one of the more progressive plans to stop the sewage overflows, but it never hurts to have “third party validation.”
The city has said the installation of Real Time Controls on Sewer Regulators will reduce the flow of raw sewage into the Ottawa River by 65 per cent by next summer.
Hume admits Ottawa residents “don’t understand” that it takes time to reduce the sewage overflows, adding the city will commission new infrastructure this fall to reduce sewage overflows by 55 per cent.