Without any rational supporting evidence, Janet Stavinga is asking Council to blindly vote in favour of a pipeline/lagoon configuration for Munster.

While Councillors may (rightly or wrongly) traditionally vote ---unquestioningly--- with the resident ward Councillor’s recommendation, an exception is being requested in this instance, due to the disproportionately high element of risk to human health and safety that is posed by the proposed forcemain option.

The Motion supports a Staff Report that lacks critical evaluation of negative impacts on Richmond’s shallow, private wells. Staff specifically excluded this evaluation from the RV Anderson Work Plan, knowing its adverse implications in advance, and in full awareness that it was in breech of the OMB Order "to serve the public interest" by using the "best available evidence". While staff admitted that forcemains rupture (R. Hewitt, Head of Infrastructure, on CBC radio, May 30^th, 2003), their explanation of the quick cessation of pumping and clean-up procedures offers little to allay concerns about uncontrolled mobility of that portion of the pollution which could not be recovered. However, even worse, is the threat of a long-term leak of 10% (or less), which would not trigger remote sensing equipment, and could escape detection for several months ---until an unlucky pocket of nearby residents become ill or die from E-coli ingestion. The Report also unrepresentatively minimizes the pipeline costs. And it unreasonably diminishes the fundamental merits and efficacy of the mechanical treatment option. The Report therefore draws incorrect conclusions from its flawed inputs and assessments, such that residents of Richmond would be placed needlessly into harms way by the preferentially manipulated pipeline selection. That is exactly what 140 homes, with shallow wells, along the proposed pressurized pipeline route would be exposed to, by approval of the subject Council Motion. (One resident’s well is a mere six metres from the pipeline’s path.)

Councillor Stavinga, How can you possibly sanction such unjustifiable recklessness?

The pipeline option has been rejected by three out of the four municipally-appointed consultants, and would not pass the scrutiny of any legitimate Cost-Benefit Analysis, Best Management Practices Review, legitimate forensic investigation, or Hearing in a Court of Law …(which is where it appears it will become stuck).

The fact that the City is already deeply immersed in litigation, over its alleged pipeline bid-proposal irregularities, in 1998, puts a lie to any hope of it being anything but distant-last in the "time to implement" category.

Cost is an area where all the smoke and mirrors at the City’s command cannot belie the fact that the pipeline is, conservatively, twice as expensive …and more likely closer to five times more expensive, than either of the two communal options. (See: TSH-1998 estimate, and 2002-independent Cost estimate.)

Finally, both communal options, in the past, have received Certificates of Approval, and being environmentally responsible, would easily win Ministry of Environment acceptance. Relatively, the pipeline is environmentally intrusive, and hazardous, and despite Ms. Stavinga’s and staff assertions to the contrary, it would still be subject to the EA Addendum process, (See: Class EA Planning Process: Part A.4.2.2), with changes (on the fly) already being discussed by City staff.

Therefore, it is not difficult to conclude from the overwhelming evidence, that the communal system has clear advantages in the categories of: safety, time to implement, cost and environmental efficacy.

Thomas H. Huxley said, "The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence." In this particular matter ---of life and safety--- it is crucial that the most complete evidence be considered. We feel it calls for individual Councillors to make personal decisions of conscience with regard to this vital health-risk issue.

Richard Bendall
Munster Lagoon Watchdog Committee

(Additional information available on www.OttawaSewergateFiasco.com)