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The province has ordered an investigation into the billion litres of sewage and untreated stormwater that have flowed into the Ottawa River so far this year.
Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Jim Watson has requested Gord Miller, the province’s environmental commissioner, review the state of Ottawa’s combined sewer operation (CSO) and offer recommendations on how the city can stop the flow of sewage into the historic waterway.
“Ottawa’s situation is quite challenging right now and is affecting recreational use,” said Miller, who is an independent environmental watchdog.
He calls his work more of a review than an investigation.
Miller, who has 30 years experience, says he understands combined sewers are a century-old system and aren’t unique to Ottawa, but adds residents demand the water they drink, bathe in and use as a source of recreation be of the highest quality.
“It’s more than infrastructure, it’s a quality issue,” said Miller. “Good water quality is an important expectation of Canadian life.”
Miller has been working on the file since late August and has received stacks of information on how the city is tackling the problem.
Many municipalities across Canada are facing similar overflow issues, but some are reacting faster than others and Miller wants to see how Ottawa can find a solution quicker.
“Some of the best progress is made in smaller municipalities because it’s easier to manage the size,” he said, adding Ottawa has to “spend the money and fix the problem.”
Watson has been critical of the city lately for not moving fast enough to “stop the onslaught of sewage into the river.”
“It’s embarrassing,” said Watson. “It’s likely the most important river in the country.”
Miller is expected in Ottawa later this month to meet with city officials and councillors to discuss and examine the causes of the problem, how well the city is planning to address it and how effectively the city has communicated the problem to residents.
Coun. Peter Hume, chairman of the city’s planning and environment committee, welcomes the independent review because the city is facing a “crisis in confidence” when it comes to the issue.
“We have one of the most progressive plans in Ontario to eliminate CSOs,” said Hume of the millions of dollars the city has spent and plans to spend on stormwater storage tanks and other technology that is expected to cut the amount of sewage that spills into the river by 65% come next summer. “It’s never a problem to have an extra set of eyes on what you are doing.”
Once his review is completed, Miller will provide advice and several recommendations on how to solve the problem.