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Sampling of
LETTERS
FROM RICHMOND AND AREA RESIDENTS
To: Richmond Village Association
- for forwarding):
My husband and I have been residents of
Richmond for 35 years. We have perfect water and take care not to
overuse this precious resource.
The proposed sewage forcemain "solution" is an accident waiting
to happen for residents of Richmond. Not only would our precious
water resource be contaminated but this option would put the
wetlands and the Jock River at risk.
The history of the present sewage conveyance system from
Richmond to Glen Cairn has failed 5 times in the past 20 years.
Advanced treatment technologies are now available and an on site
solution is not only preferable, but much less costly. Since the
City of Ottawa is already making cuts to services because of a
shortfall, council should be looking to save money, and
credibility.
If the worst should happen, is the City of Ottawa, the province
of Ontario, prepared to truck in water or spend even more millions
piping city water to Richmond? We don't want your treated water.
Also, is the water treatment plant in Ottawa able to handle all
the sewage that is already in the system, not to mention the
sewage from all the new housing being built. Would all of this
additional sewage require the building of a new plant at a cost of
more millions to taxpayers? With an increase in property taxes already in the works, just how much more do you think we can pay?
Don and Carol Molineux
Richmond, Ont.
(November 29, 2003)
(To: Richmond Village Association – for forwarding.)
To Mayor and Council:
I have read through the various reports and proposals for the
pipeline versus the on-site treatment plant and am having great
difficulty understanding why you would support the pipeline for many reasons:
a. The on-site treatment
is much cheaper and more cost effective.
b. The great potential to
the health risk of the residents of Richmond and
Munster cannot be measured by your words of "safe".
c. Your apparent lack of
concern for the residents of Richmond and Munster,
which was quite evident by the lack of voter support that you
received at
the election time.
d. It makes one question,
why someone would support a project that
has a great health risk potential, (and there will be, maybe
not today but in
the years to come), and will be put of as an "accident". When
you are no
longer on the city council, the pipeline will break and all
parties concerned
in the constructing of it will have been satisfied.
e. With all the recent cut-back's in the
city's spending why would you support
the construction of this pipeline when an on-site facility
would satisfy and
would certainly be much cheaper, but I guess you like to spend
taxpayers
money as I read a report that you supported and help approve an
engineering company to complete a study for a cost of some
$53,000 to
see if they should spend $40,000 for a pump. The study was done
a the
pump was bought. So your justification in that matter I
am sure was that
you wanted to make sure that there was no potential health risk
to
residents....if that was your stand on this matter then what
about this large
matter.
Why does the city and its elected officials not tell the
residents of Richmond, why.........why are they thinking of
spending some $17,000,000 to built a pipeline when a fifth of that
cost would be sufficient to built an on-site facility. I ask
the question who are all the players in this pipeline construction
and why
are you going 2 km away and then back again, obviously the
city has intentions of adding more flow to the lines. The
whole issue looks like "a wolf in sheep’s clothing", and I can't
help but think that there is some backroom stuff going on, you
know friend of a friend kind of matter.
You need to stop and take a look at this issue, and also
understand that you DO NOT have the support of the residents of
Richmond, which was quite apparent by the results of the last
election.
Richmond has a Proud Past, but not a bright future and you need
to take a new stand on this matter to protect the future of
Richmond, its residents, and children.
Boyd Dulmage,
Richmond Resident
(November 30, 2003)
To whom it may concern:
I have been a long time resident of Richmond and live in the
area that will be affected by the sewage line coming from Munster. I have many
concerns with this proposal of which two of the most important are
outlined below:
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My water comes from a WELL - we do not have city water.
Therefore any, and I mean ANY, problems with this line will affect my water. I
am very concerned about the level of safety for our drinking
water. I am also concerned that the people making these decisions
do not seem to care about this issue. They cannot guarantee me that this will be 100% safe. Even a
small percentage of error could be fatal to the residents in this
area. Remember Walkerton!!!!!
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This government is struggling to balance its budget and keep
costs down and yet they are willing to spend more money on this solution
instead of one that
would be of a lesser cost. This I cannot
understand. There are resolutions to this
problem in Munster that
would be cheaper and more cost efficient in the
long run, and would not disrupt neighboring villages, and yet
this government
refuses to take that route................why????
Is this government willing to give me, in writing, a written
guarantee thatthere will never be a problem with this sewage line? Are they
willing to give me, in writing, a written guarantee that my water
will always be safe? Are they willing to give me, a written
guarantee that my property value will not be affected by their irresponsible decisions? What price are you willing to put on a
persons life? Yeah,
Yeah - tell me it won't happen - It has
before and it will again. This uses man made products and they can
break!!! THINK PEOPLE THINK - WE HAVE WELLS ...NOT
EVERYBODY HAS CITY WATER!!!!!
This solution was decided upon 10 years ago. Since then,
technology has advanced and there are better solutions, at a lower cost. What
is the matter with this government- why are they not scrapping
this old, outdated, expensive, dangerous solution and going with
one of the better methods. It is scary to think of the reasons that this might be happening - under the table
promises maybe - at the cost of peoples lives and
property!!!!!!!!!!!
Before this blows up in their face, I think that this
government should rethink their decisions and for once make the
right one – for the right reasons. Easy for you guys to make off
the cuff decisions that affect others lives. I think that if this affected any of you and your families a different decision would
be made.
Karen Smith
Richmond, Ontario
(December 1, 2003)
Cost and Safety Concerns
I am writing with concern regarding the expansion of Munster
Waste through Richmond for a number of reasons.
First of all, if a pipe line were to come through Richmond in
order to expand Munster's capacity, inevitably Richmond residents
will incur some (realistically, half) the
cost.Since becoming the city of Ottawa, we've already seen an increase
in many of our bills and we don't have much
room in our budget to take on yet another increase. I don't feel we should be held responsible for accounting for
Munster's proposition. The residence of Munster Hamlet would have been aware of the
lagoon situation
when they decided to take up residency there, if
that were to be an issue, they should have chosen another area to
house them.
Second, we are the parents of two
children, one toddler and one baby.
The risk of water contamination in our well will increase greatly
if Munster comes through here, and I have to worry about our water
quality for our children's sake. We
obviously are not the only people who have to worry about water
contamination, but those of us with young
children have a greater concern.
We know the damage untreated water can have if we
just look at the Walkerton
outbreak.
Finally, the time it would take to install the pipelines and
the location of the pipelines would greatly interrupt every
resident in Richmond.
We would be forced to live for a very long period of time with
constant construction on/beside our roads making even traveling in
our village a cumbersome task.
When we purchased our home, five years ago, one of the reasons
we chose Richmond was because it is a smaller village with
relatively little construction, minimal growth in comparison with
other areas surrounding us, and the taxes were much cheaper than allot of other areas.
We now have increased costs as said before, due to becoming the
city of Ottawa, and now we're
faced with another possible cost which benefits only the Munster
area.
I have attended some town meetings concerning this issue, as has
my husband.
We have found that Munster is insisting this be the route to take, and we get the feeling they have not looked long enough at other
options.
Of course, what does it matter to them?
Richmond is the one who suffers!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Ronayne
(December 3, 2003)
Attention: City of Ottawa and the Provincial Government,
Re: Munster Wastewater Pipeline.
From:
A young Family of 4
on a Shallow Well System.
I own the home in Richmond, ON, and I am very concerned about
the proposed Munster Wastewater Pipeline. I have a very young
family with a 26 month old Daughter and 6 month old Son, and I am
against the proposed Munster Wastewater Pipeline. We are on a
shallow aquifer, and the thought of some Committee putting my
drinking water at risk is unacceptable. I would expect a guarantee
in writing that my family's drinking water will never in any way
be affected.
If the City of Ottawa and the Provincial Government cannot
guarantee that my drinking water will be 100% safe then I say NO
to the Munster Wastewater Pipeline.
Thank you,
Jonathan, Tammy, Rose & Bobby Allen
(December 5, 2003)
To the key decision makers:
I would like to express my deep concern and disappointment in
the decision to choose a sewage forcemain to deal with the local
Munster issue of wastewater treatment. I view this decision as
short-sighted and lacking in a clear concern for the environmental
impact of the decision. The route for any pipeline between Munster and Richmond must pass through Class-A wetland known as the
Richmond Fen. This is a unique and delicate wetland and should be
protected from such thoughtless incursions.
As a private landowner bordering on the Fen and with a section
of property in the wetland, I am bound by the regulations set by
the Province as to what I may do with that area of my property. I
welcome those regulations because they make sense and maintain the
integrity of the wetland. Why can the City of Ottawa then arrive
at a decision to enter into the development of a sewage forcemain
straight
through the middle of that same wetland.
The current forcemain that exists between Richmond and Kanata
has a history of leakage including where it passes under the Jock
River. We all know that eventually the forcemain between Munster
and Richmond will spring a leak, spewing its hazardous waste into
the surrounding environment. It is very easy to quote disaster
recovery measures that 'should' kick-in when that happens.
Past history
proves that these measures are inadequate and only
serve to limit the extent of the damage, not prevent it.
Please show some leadership in this situation and prevent this
mistake from occurring. You know a pipeline is the wrong decision
and even the studies originally undertaken pointed to a local
treatment solution. Prove that the City and Province abide by the
rules they set out in protecting sensitive areas. Set an example
for us all all by reversing the current direction and working
towards a local treatment
solution in Munster.
Sincerely,
Jeff Oman
(Richmond
Fen, area)
(December 8, 2003)
Letter to Environment Minister
L. Dembrosky, MPP
Minister of the Environment
Dear Ms. Dembrosky:
Concerning the proposed sewage pipeline\forcemain from Munster
Hamlet to Richmond, there are three issues impacting on the current angst
of Richmond residents.
Representation: Ottawa City Hall has attempted to sideline,
silence and render impotent Richmond's concerns with this proposed
pipeline/forcemain. On this issue,at least, we have never had a voice on City
Council articulating for us our very real concerns.
Environment: There are serious environmental concerns. The
proposed pipeline would run directly through the Richmond Fen, a
provincially significant wetland. Residents living along the Fen have many
restrictions imposed on how they are allowed to manage their property. Why
then is City Hall allowed to run a pipeline through the Fen, putting it in
far greater jeopardy? Engineers will tell you eventually all pipelines
always break.
Richmond has three decommissioned sewage lagoons, two of which
are now designated Conservation Areas for water birds and aquatic life.
With the forcemain pumping sewage to Richmond, whose own sewage system
is gravity fed, there is an increased threat for contamination of these
Conservation Areas through sewage leaks and spills.
Health: We are a community dependent on wells for our
drinking water. Most of these wells draw from a shallow aquifer system. Because of
this our water is easy prey for contamination. Our fears of
contamination of our potable water seem to have been brushed aside by City Hall with
platitudes and attempts to paint us as fear mongerers. This attitude
insults us all.
As a very concerned Richmond resident, I am asking you to
reconsider the decision to allow the Munster Hamlet to Richmond pipeline\forcemain construction project to continue.
Rosemary MacArthur
Richmond, Ontario
(December 10, 2003)
Comments regarding last Tuesday's meeting in Richmond. 09 Dec 2003:
At last Tuesday's night's meeting the long suffering residents of Richmond did not need
to be told
about HOW the Munster effluent was going to be sent coursing through
their village. Neither did they need to told "not to revisit the past" regarding the plans. What residents kept asking was "WHY?". WHY
was not one of the other alternatives chosen? This Munster Waste boondoggle has been discussed
for many years. Several alternative solutions have been put forward. But the question still remaining
is; WHY was the least suitable solution route chosen?
WHY go through go through sensitive wetlands; through a village where all residents obtain their
water from wells; and under a river (already polluted enough) which is subject to annual flooding?
We have never been told WHY the other proposed routes were unsuitable. Even though they seem
much more logical and environmentally friendly to us.
For instance, why was the route through Stittsville not chosen? Where all the residents are on city
water.
Neither was it explained how this several million dollar project would fit into the city's
already overextended budget. The City made a good attempt to bamboozle us with all the finer details of their
technology. But we would expect no less than the best. We were told that the other routes were fully
described in their reports. But it would have saved a lot of bitterness and recrimination on Tuesday
if
someone could have explained WHY. Our councillor did not appear to want to
tell us, either. When all
is said and done, Tuesday's meeting was a fiasco.
Stephen Pepler,
Richmond
(December 10, 2003)
Forcemain's negative impacts and risk, simply
don't make any sense.
To whom it may concern:
Please be advised...I am a fairly new (4-year) resident of
Richmond, and am 100% opposed to the proposed Munster wastewater
pipeline. The negative impacts and risk that this solution pose, simply don’t
make any sense.
To risk my family’s health, along with decreasing my property
values …and possibly, Richmond ending up as another Walkerton is unacceptable.
Other measures need to be looked at.
Martin Bouchard
Richmond
(December 22, 2003)
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MORE LETTERS AND
COMMENTS: |
RELATED LETTERS OF RECENT PAST:
-
Letter to The
Ottawa Citizen -
"City's Munster sewage plan is a
puzzle"
-Oct
6, 2003:
"It has always puzzled me what is behind the City
of Ottawa’s decision to avoid the less costly and more
environmentally friendly solution of on-site sewage treatment in
Munster."
-
Letter to The Ottawa
Citizen -
Re:
Councillors OK $12M pipeline to transport Munster sewage, May
28. -
"I
doubt there is another municipality in all of Ontario that has
an administration so obsessed with setting the stage for another
Walkerton-scale disaster.Letter
to the Editor" - Ken Vaughn - June 11, 2003
-
Letter to The
Ottawa Citizen
-
"City spurns clear
Munster answer"
- Oct 17, 2003:
"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."
OTHER LETTERS
AND RECENT HISTORY:
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2
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