LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

City spurns clear Munster answer

Friday, October 17, 2003

Re: Richmond ups ante in sewer pipeline fight, Oct. 2.

Richmond residents are not the only ones upset by the City of Ottawa's choice of a pipeline as the solution to the problem of Munster's wastewater. Many Munster residents also share their concerns and do not believe that it is the answer.

I attended an information meeting earlier this year in our community, where Martin Hauschild, executive vice-president of Seprotech Systems Inc., gave a presentation about the value of Munster having an on-site treatment plant. I came away quite excited by what I had seen and heard.

An on-site treatment plant would not negatively impact on any community or area outside of Munster. It would not present any danger to the environment or human health, and it would be far less costly to build and maintain.

This technology has already been proven by the number of plants that have been built around the world, and has been endorsed by the New York State Environment Agency and independent engineers.

A plant is being constructed in the Manotick area, having been awarded a certificate of approval by the Ministry of the Environment in 1998.

Munster's treated water, which would be discharged into the Jock River, would be of a quality that meets the Ministry of the Environment's swimmable-quality criteria for lakes and rivers. This would be especially valuable for those areas of the Jock River that dry up in the heat of summer, thus saving many fish and aquatic life.

Considering these benefits and the fact that the city is spending $500,000 a year trucking sewage from Munster and now must look to cutting an enormous amount from its budget, I am at a total loss to understand its persistence on a pipeline.

Margie Karl,
Munster

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