On June 11, 2003, the council
of the City of Ottawa voted to support the pipeline alternative
for dealing with Munster Hamlet's sewage problems. Goulbourn ward
councillor, Janel Stavinga, who successfully lobbied most
councillors to vote for the pipeline, has made numerous public
statements in support of this alternative over the last four
months. However, as she and possibly other councillors know, the
Richmond forcemain has suffered from serious problems for almost
twenty years In view of those problems, the Friends of the Jock
River believes that the planned addition of Munster's sewage to
Richmond's sanitary sewer system is irresponsible.
Background:
In March 1998, a Stittsville
News article reported continued problems with infiltration into
the sanitary sewer system in Richmond stating that Goulbourn
Township "has been working with Regional government and the
Ministry of the Environment over the past five years" to try to
solve them. Because of these problems, the Region of
Ottawa-Carleton initiated the Richmond Pumping Station and
Forcemain Study (RPSFS), which was completed in May 1999. The
study reaffirmed that the Richmond pumping station "is subject to
significant flow events resulting from infiltration and inflow"
and concluded, "with approximately 13,525 meters of forcemain,
there is significant risk of failure of the system." The risky
nature of the forcemain is supported by the fact that, at the
time, the 16 year old pipe had already ruptured 3 times. According
to the RPSFS: "Between 1986 and 1996, the Townshif. undertook
extensive rehabilitation work to reduce the inflow/infiltration
into the sanitary sewage collection system. However, despite these
works, excessive inflow/infiltration continues. ..." The RPSFS
recommended that the Township of Goulbourn continue its efforts to
determine sources of infiltration, but this problem still persists
in 2003. It also recommended that the Township carry out steps to
reduce the risk of "system failure" when "significant flow events"
do occur. One such step was to twin the Richmond pipeline where "a
weak section of forcemain [crosses] under the Jock River" at the
Richmond Nursery.
While the RPSFS recommended that inflow be reduced, the study
failed to consider or even mention that the City was at the same
time planning the addition of the sewage from 480 Munster homes to
the Richmond pumping station and forcemain system. It is
significant that there has been no published engineering
evaluation of the burden that additional sewage from Munster would
place on this system.
Recent Events:
The twinning of the Richmond
forcemain was done in 2001, at an estimated cost of approximately
a quarter of a million dollars. Within six weeks, the secondary
pipe on the upstream side of the twinned forcemain failed. Six
months later the downstream side also failed, reportedly spilling
sewage into the Jock River. To date, repairs to the twinned pipe
have been delayed pending the results of a City of Ottawa
contracted study to find the cause of the forcemain failures. The
results were made available in /August 2003, just over a year
following the last rupture, and they are not reassuring. A number
of variables were identified as possible causes of the ruptures,
but the definite cause could not be confirmed. It was difficult to
assess why the pipe ruptured, as evidenced by disagreements
amongst the engineering companies that worked on the project. It
is known that somehow, possibly in part because of operator error
(the City), the downstream fitting cracked. Erosion on the broken
pipe confirms that sewage was leaking from it
"likely over the
span of several weeks or months.'
Environmental Hydraulics Group Inc.,
after a detailed investigation, recommends that once the broken
pipe is replaced, certain regular operations of the pumping
station and forcemain be undertaken "very carefully" so as
not to stress the system. It further suggests that there are still
uncertainties involved in redesigning the Jock River crossing so
the pipe won't be predisposed to cracking. Despite the cautionary
suggestions, the City continues to plan for the addition of
Munster sewage to the system.
Conclusions concerning the Richmond - Glen
Cairn Pipeline: The City has said that forcemain or pipeline
technology is "a robust and capable technology" and "a viable and
effective solution [for Munster]." Councillor Stavinga, in her
public statements supporting the planned pipeline from Munster to
Richmond, has said that forcemain technology is: "safe, effective
and well-established," and "secure and reliable." Given the past
operation of the Richmond - Glen Cairn forcemain (five ruptures
since it was built in 1983) and the results of the most recent
study, the Friends of the Jock River is seriously concerned
whether the safe, effective and reliable design and operation of
the Richmond - Glen Cairn forcemain can ever be achieved. It
appears from the latest study that this will be decided by
experimentation, following replacement of the broken twinned
pipe. A simple projection based on past performance suggests that
up to 10 more ruptures can be expected over the next 40 years
(expected 60 year lifetime). And this simple projection does not
consider the unknown stresses of adding more sewage from Munster.
Conclusions concerning the planned Munster-
Richmond Pipeline: In view of the sorry performance of the
Richmond - Glen Cairn pipeline, the Friends of the Jock River is
likewise seriously concerned that a Munster - Richmond forcemain
will not be a safe, effective and reliable solution for dealing
with Munster's sewage. A simple projection based on past
performance of the Richmond - Glen Cairn pipeline suggests
that the planned Munster - Richmond sewer forcemain pipe could
rupture as many as 15 times over its planned lifetime of 60 years.
Ruptures or slow leaks of Munster's sewage would pose a risk to
environmentally sensitive areas such as the provincially
significant Richmond Fen Wetland (approximately 15% of the Munster
- Richmond pipeline passes through it) and the Jock River, and
would pose a serious threat to water quality in the shallow
aquifer. The route of the pipe passes by about 140 homes that
depend on shallow wells for their drinking water. The City's
promise to monitor wells before and after construction of the
forcemain pipe will be cold comfort if there remains a real risk
that these wells could be polluted during construction or
operation of the pipe.
Alternatives:
On-site treatment of
Munster's sewage would avoid all of the risks associated with the
transport of the sewage. In addition, local treatment would
provide high quality treatment that keeps the water in the
watershed. Further, it could be installed more quickly and at a
lower cost than pipe.
The Friends of the Jock River strongly supports
on-site treatment and requests that you make your views known in
writing to the City and to your councillor.