Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
City staff are recommending it’s time to figure out what effect all the varied pollutants going into the Ottawa River are having on the historic waterway.
Once that information is collected, the next question will be how it can be used to improve the river’s quality.
On Tuesday, a report going to the city’s planning and environment committee recommends an outside consultant be hired to determine the impact on the river from storm water, creek discharges and effluent discharges from the R.O. Pickard sewage treatment plant.
The pricetag for the work is set at $400,000.
“River systems are complex. There does not exist a strong understanding of the impact of inputs to the Ottawa River, a mechanism to evaluate its fate, nor potential downstream impact,” reads the report from Dixon Weir, the city’s director of water and waste water. “This has raised public concerns regarding the water quality of the river and the impact of municipal functions on the river.
“Water quality is both a fundamental component of a healthy natural environment and an indicator of health. Understanding the health of our rivers and how they respond to urban impacts is a vital part of taking action to protect the natural environment.”
The river has been in the spotlight for several weeks since it was discovered last month that 960,000 cubic metres of sewage overflowed into the waterway.
Since then, several investigations at different government levels have been launched and an employee at the city has been fired.
SEWAGE DUMPED
But the fiasco also highlighted a little-known fact that after periods of rain, the city’s downtown combined storm water and sewage system overflow regularly get into the river.
Weir said with the information in hand, the city will be better able to determine where capital dollars are needed most and where they can be best spent.
“It’s hoped the study will help set priorities to determine what capital programs should be examined,” Weir said.
“We can prioritize which steps will offer us the greatest advantage to improving the environment.”
City staff are recommending the contract be given to W.F. Baird & Associates, experts in the field which has already undertaken similar studies in the city.
(C) Ottawa Sun