The statement, "discharge in Munster amounts to less than 1/500th of the total annual flow", appears intended to give the false impression that Munster's water is unimportant to the health of the Jock River. The Jock River flow is at its lowest in the summer months, (and, in recent dry years there has been zero flow at the Copeland Road bridge for weeks at a time). Obviously, at such times, a Munster treatment plant's output of 88 gallons per minute, (of better than river water quality), would make ALL the difference for aquatic habitat, downstream from the point of discharge.

With approximately 33 years of surface discharge of Munster's wastewater (albeit, of mixed quality), being discharged in the area, diversion of this by pipeline from the Jock River basin, would create even more severe conditions upon the aquatic habitat during summer drought conditions.

The Jock River Watershed Plan Interim Report (Vol1, September 1996), published by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA), states the following:

"Groundwater discharge to the Jock River is the main contributor to streamflow in the late summer. Groundwater is therefore important in maintaining the health of the aquatic ecosystem during low flow conditions."

(The OMB Hearing, in 2000, acknowledged this point in favour of onsite treatment ---and against the pipeline--- on environmental merits alone, putting the issue to rest, back then. Had the MCA President attended the Hearing, he would better understand the importance of discharging this water to the Jock River.)